First Steps After a Death
Registering a death
When someone dies, their death must be registered with the local registrar.
The doctor who treated the person during their last illness will usually issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. This will be given to you by the GP or by the Patients Affairs Officer if the death occurred in hospital. You must take this certificate to the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district where the person died.
In some circumstances the death may be reported to the Coroner. In such cases, registration of the death may be delayed. If you have any queries please contact the Coroner's Office on 01493 452477 or 01493 452177. or the Register Office on 01493 662313. You can also follow this link to the General Register Office for England and Wales
Where to register
The death should be registered within five days of the date of the death and must be registered at the Register Office in the district in which it took place. The Great Yarmouth Register Office is located at the Great Yarmouth Library on Tolhouse Street and you should contact them on: 0344 8008020 to register a birth or death or call 01493 846646 to make an appointment.
Information required
The registrar will need the following information about the person who has died:
The date of their death
Where the death occurred
Their full name (including any other names they may have been known by)
Their date of birth
Where they were born
Their occupation
Their address
Your name and address
Additional Information
In the case of a married man or widower, the registrar will also record the wife's full name and occupation.
In the case of a married woman or widow the registrar will also record the maiden surname and the husband's full name and occupation.
In the case of a civil partner or surviving civil partner, the registrar will also record the partner's full name and occupation.
You must take the medical cause of death certificate from the doctor/hospital with you.
You will also find it useful to take the following with you:
The deceased's birth certificate
The NHS Medical Card for the person who has died
If available, information on pension or allowance received by the deceased.
Documents
Following the registration you will be given a Certificate for Burial or Cremation. You should give this to the funeral director who will be arranging the burial or cremation.
If the death has been reported to the Coroner, the registrar may tell you that a cremation or burial certificate has already been issued. If this is the case, you will not need a green form.
The registrar will also give you a certificate (form BD8) which is used for social security purposes. You should complete it and send to your Jobcentre, Jobcentre Plus or Social Security office.
Charges
There is no charge for registering a death. However, you may need copy death certificates for banks, building societies and insurance companies.
Advice on next steps
Death in hospital or care home
If death occurs in a hospital or care home, the hospital or care home staff will contact the person named by the deceased as next of kin. This may be, but need not be a relative. You may, if you wish, request to see the hospital chaplain. The hospital will keep the body in the hospital mortuary until the executor arranges for deceased body to be taken away. Most funeral directors have a chapel of rest in which the deceased will be held pending the funeral. The hospital will arrange for the nearest relative to collect the deceased's possessions.
A doctor will issue a medical certificate which you will also need when you register the death.
If the death occurs elsewhere
If the death was expected, contact the doctor who attended the deceased during their final illness. If the doctor can certify the cause of death, he or she will give you the following:
a medical certificate that shows the cause of death (this is free of charge and will be sealed in an envelope addressed to the registrar),
a formal notice stating that the doctor has signed the medical certificate and giving instructions on how to get the death registered.
You may wish to contact the deceased's minister of religion if you have not already done so. Arrangements for the funeral may be made by a funeral director.
Unexpected or sudden death
If a doctor is unsure about the cause of death, or if the patient has not been seen by a doctor for 14 days or more, the doctor may not issue a medical certificate detailing the cause of death.
This would also happen if the death were caused by an injury or an accident.
In these cases a post mortem will be carried out at the hospital where the deceased was taken
Contact Coroner's Officers on 01493 452477 or 01493 452177
A post mortem is a series of tests and examinations medical professionals carry out to establish the cause of death. Following the post mortem the Coroner will issue a medical certificate.
If the deceased's religion dictates that a funeral should take place within 24 hours, the Coroner will try to assist. However, this can be difficult if the death has occurred in suspicious circumstances. The Law takes precedence, and the Coroner decision is final.
Arranging the funeral
One of the most convenient ways of organising a funeral is to use a funeral director. Funeral directors are required to understand the relevant laws and the requirements of different faiths and are experts in the care of the deceased.
They can also arrange for repatriation of bodies from abroad or organise funerals in other countries.
The funeral director will ask you for a certificate for burial or cremation which you will have received from the Registrar.
You will also agree a date for the funeral and sign an agreement.
You should also be given full details of the cost of these arrangements.
Local funeral directors are listed in the telephone directory, or you may prefer to contact the following organisations:
National Association of Funeral Directors, phone 0845 230 1343, web: ·www.nafd.org.uk
National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors, phone 0845 230 6777, web: ·www.saif.org.uk
Age Concern produces a fact sheet called 'Arranging a Funeral' which includes information you may need. Their contact details are as follows: Age UK (was Age Concern), phone 0800 009966 www.ageuk.org.uk
If the person died in a local hospital, you can also receive help and support from the Patient Affairs Officers. The local Hospital in Great Yarmouth is the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Lowestoft Road, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 6LA. Telephone: 01493 452452
Letting people know
There are a number of people and organisations who need to be informed of a death, and it is easy to overlook some of them. This list should help you ensure that you do not miss anyone.
Business
Bank and credit card companies
DVLA – the deceased's driving licence must be returned
Passport Office
Landlord or mortgage company
Council tax office
Utility companies- gas, electricity, telephone, water etc
Hospital the deceased was attending
Family doctor
Deceased's employer and trade union
Accountant – a business may need to be wound up or transferred to another member of the family
Solicitors – the lawyer may hold the will
Social services department – if the deceased was receiving any help such as meals on wheels, home help, carer, etc
Library books and tickets
Insurance companies for car, life, house and contents insurance. If you have any relevant polices when you phone this will be useful. The companies will need a copy (not a photocopy) of the death certificate. If the deceased had a financial adviser, he or she can contact the insurance companies for you.
Log book of any car owned by the deceased to allow for change of ownership to be recorded
Season ticket and membership cards of clubs and associations
Bus company/rail (for return/refund of bus or rail pass)
Personal
Family members, including any living abroad
Family friends
Neighbours
Place of worship
Colleagues
Head teacher – if a parent or child has died
You may also want to put an announcement in a local newspaper.
Bereavement benefits
If you are widowed or become a surviving partner, you may be entitled to bereavement benefits. You may claim these benefits even if are working. All bereavement benefit claims must be made on form BB1. You can get this from your local Jobcentre Plus office or from the Directgov - Bereavement benefits website. It is important to note that there are time limits affecting all benefit claims. If you apply too late it may affect the amount you receive or you may receive nothing at all.
Bereavement Allowance/Widowed Parent's Allowance must be claimed within three months of the death of your spouse or civil partner. To receive Widowed Parent's Allowance you must be the main Child Benefit payee. If your late spouse or civil partner was the main payee for Child Benefit you will need to reclaim Child Benefit in your own name.
For further information please visit the Directgov - Bereavement benefits website
Dealing with grief
After the funeral and other arrangements have been dealt with, you may find it hard to cope and want to speak to someone about how you are feeling.
There are a number of organisations with experience in helping people deal with grief. These include:
Cruse Bereavement Care, phone 0870 477 9400, web:·www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Age UK (was Age Concern), phone 0800 009 966, web: ·www.ageuk.org.uk
Samaritans, phone 08457 909 090, web: ·www.samaritans.org
Child Death Helpline, web: ·www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk
Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Society (SANDS), phone 020 7753 3838, web: ·www.ssafa.org.uk
Lesbian & Gay Bereavement Helpline, phone 020 7403 5969
Burial or cremation?
Depending on the wishes and religious beliefs of the deceased, you must decide whether there is to be a burial or cremation. These details may also be found in the will, if there is one.
Burial
If the deceased has not already reserved a plot, one must be arranged and paid for. If no plot has been reserved, and you know of no preference, you must decide where you want the grave to be.
There are 5 cemeteries within the Borough of Great Yarmouth. Please follow this link to find the locations of the cemeteries
Cremation
Cremations are held at Gorleston Crematorium. When you arrange the cremation service the funeral director will arrange most of the paperwork, but you will need to provide the certificate of burial or cremation given to you by the Registrar.
More information
For further information on burial or cremation please contact Bereavement Services using the contact details at the top of this page
Further Information
Contact Us
Tel: 01493 441974
Fax: 01493 846817
Bereavement Services
Magdalen Lawn Cemetery,
Oriel Avenue,
Gorleston,
Norfolk,
NR31 7JJ
Open: Mon to Fri 8:30 am - 4:15 pm,
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