Register a death

Registering a death

All death registrations will be done face to face, in the register office in the area where the death occurred. 

Complete the form below with the necessary details and we'll contact you to make an appointment to register the death once we've received all necessary medical paperwork.

Pre-register a death form

Register a death within 5 days

All deaths must be registered at the Register Office for the area where death occurred within 5 days unless a Coroner is involved.

The person who registers the death is known as the informant.

To find out more visit the Gov.uk website death registration information.

For registrations to meet a 24 hour burial call out of hours / emergencies on 0800 212 111.

Who can register a death?

In order of preference the following people who can register a death:

• Relative of the deceased
• Any person present at the death
• Occupier of the house / home where the death happened - if in an establishment the occupier could be the establishment's manager or senior administrator
• The person who found the body
• The person arranging the burial or cremation

Information required

We will receive the Medical Cause of Death Certificate directly from the GP. If there has been a post mortem this will come to us from the coroner.

We will need to know:

• Full name of deceased, maiden name if applicable, and any other previous names
• Date and place of birth of deceased
• Normal place of residence including postcode
• Date and place of death including postcode  
• Occupation during working life
• Marital status
• Full name, date of birth and occupation of spouse if applicable
• NHS number of the deceased (if found but not essential)
• Reference numbers for any government issued pensions e.g. civil service, military pensions

The appointment

Once the registrar has received all the necessary information, they will contact you to make an appointment. During your appointment, they will check all of the information, including spelling, dates, and places. It is very important that you check these are correct.

If any error is noticed afterwards, a correction would then be required. From 1 November 2017 national fees apply for corrections (£75 to £90). 

You'll be able to purchase death certificates at the appointment which cost £11 each. Payment is by debit or credit card.

Supporting documents

To help you give accurate information, you may wish to refer to the deceased's:

• Passport
• Marriage/Civil Partnership certificates
• Birth certificates
• Deed polls 

Following the registration, the registrar will

• Email the Green Form to the funeral director - may not be necessary if the Coroner has been involved

Save time with our Tell Us Once service 

We now offer a 'Tell us Once' service. Read our Tell Us Once (PDF document) for full details.

You'll be given a unique number at the appointment for you to complete this service.

Deaths abroad

A death must be registered in the country where the death occurred.

Contact the Foreign Office or funeral director for more information.