WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMONE DIES
It can be hard to deal with the death of someone close to you...
When a death has happened, there are different requirements depending on where it has occurred.
At Home, If Expected
When someone dies at home the death needs to be certified. The person’s registered GP, a duty doctor, an emergency doctor, the emergency services or a registered nurse can do this. If you know the person wished to be cremated, inform the certifying person at this stage.
The GP will provide a medical certificate, showing the cause of death. This is needed to register the death..
If the death was expected, and their doctor had recently seen them, there is no need to rush this time with them. You may wish to mark the moment by lighting a candle, playing some music, sitting quietly in contemplation. Some like to open a window.
When you’re ready, but only once the death has been certified, you can call the chosen funeral director to come and collect them.
If you are using us, call 01803 863923 and we will come and collect them. We will look after them at our premises in Dartington. Please note however, that we do not offer a 24 hour collection service.
Every situation will be different, so please call, and we will help arrange alternatives, if, for any reason we can’t collect. Please note that other undertakers would have their own collection charge. At the very first opportunity we would then arrange to bring them safely back to Dartington.
If Someone Dies Unexpectedly
If the circumstances of the death seem sudden, unexplained, unexpected, or is the result of violence or an accident, the police must be contacted as soon as possible. The police, or doctor certifying the death, will need to inform the coroner. This is also the case if someone has not been seen by his or her GP in the previous 14 days. The coroner may request a post-mortem or inquest.
In these circumstances an appointed undertaker will collect the person and then take them to a hospital or public mortuary for a post mortem. In Devon, this service is based in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
The death cannot be registered until the coroner sends a form to the registrar, which acts as the medical certificate.
This may take some time so it’s a good idea to speak to us so we can liaise with the coroner and make provisional arrangements for the funeral. We won’t be able to confirm a date or time until the coroner has finished their investigations. It is good to know at this stage if the person is to be buried or cremated, so we can ensure the coroner issues the required certificate.
At A Care Home Or Hospice
When someone dies in a care home or hospice, the death will need to be certified in the same way, and a doctor will visit the person to confirm the death. The staff will advise the next of kin of the situation and provide the necessary support. It may be that home or hospice requires that the person is collected straight away. They will need to know the chosen funeral director.
If you know you wish to appoint us as the undertakers then you can call us and we will make the necessary arrangements. If for any reason we are unable to do the collection in the timescale required then we will ensure an alternative undertaker can do this. Please note that they would have their own collection charge. At the very first opportunity we would then arrange to collect the person and bring them safely back to Dartington.
If the death was expected, the GP will provide a medical certificate showing the cause of death, which you will need to register the death.
In Hospital
If the person has died in hospital the next of kin will be contacted. There should be a bereavement team who can offer practical and emotional support. The person who has died will usually be cared for in the hospital mortuary until a funeral director is appointed or alternative arrangements are made. If you appoint us as your funeral director, we’ll be able to call the hospital and make the necessary arrangements. Please note, for hospital outside our 20 mile radius there will be a mileage fee for the additional miles.
Away From Home But In The Uk
If a person dies away from home, the authorities in that area will carry out the formalities. If you wish to appoint us as your undertakers we can help arrange transport to bring them back to Dartington.
Overseas
If a person has died overseas there is various documentation that has to be collected and provided. Importantly, the passport is required to enable identification. The death will need to have been registered with the British Consul in the country where they died and a death certificate issued. Copies, or scans of these, and the originals that will accompany the person on their return to the UK, will need to be sent to the coroner. The coroner will review the paperwork and decide if they are satisfied with the cause of death or if there is need for further investigation.
We can help and support at each stage, and can assist with the preliminary funeral arrangements, although a time and date cannot be set until advised to do so by the coroner.
It is worth noting that in order to be returned to the UK the person who has died has to be embalmed.
Information is available on the Government website
Registering The Death
The death must be registered by the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the area in which it occurred. You need to make an appointment to do so within five days. To find your local office check here.
During Covid this was done over the phone, but they will likely ask you to attend now.
You will need the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) signed by the doctor. The doctor may electronically submit this to the registrar’s office. Information needed includes the date and place of death, their home address, full name, date of birth, place of birth and occupation. If you have their birth certificate, NHS medical card or number and marriage or civil partnership certificates, this may be useful.
The registrar will issue a death certificate and a certificate for burial or cremation, called the Green Form. We will need the Green Form for the funeral to go ahead, as we need to send it either to the crematorium, or to the place where the burial is to happen. Following changes brought in for Covid, the registrar generally emails it directly to us. We do not need to see the death certificate.
It may be a good idea to order several copies of the death certificate, as various authorities may need it (such as banks and life insurance companies). Copies of the death certificate cost £11 each.
The government has a step by step guide on their website that provides helpful information about how to handle the administration following a death. This can be found here. They have introduced a TELL US ONCE service, which lets most government departments, and local councils know when someone has died.
The next stage is to arrange the funeral. Do not be pressured into appointing an undertaker straight away. It is not even a legal requirement to have one. It is important that you choose someone who feels right for you.
If you wish to talk with us further about options, please call us on 01803 863923.