How to Register a Death
How to Register a Death
Alfred Smith Funeral Director and Monumental Mason can help families to register a death in Rose Hill, Streatham and surrounding areas.
Usually it is a family member that will register the death. However, if a relative is not available the law allows certain other people to register:
- Someone present at death
- Someone who lived in the house where the person died
- The person responsible for making funeral arrangements i.e. executor
- A responsible person from the hospital or home where the person died
When a death occurs it must be registered within 5 days and at the registrar for the area in which the death took place.
Death Certificate
The medical certificate of cause of death issued by the hospital or GP if the person died at home or in private residential care. If the coroner is involved, he will issue the form for registration and send it to the register office once a post mortem has taken place.
- The date and place of death
- The NHS number of the person that has died
- The full name of the person that has died
- Any other names the person may have been known by, for example if the person has changed their name by deed poll
- Their date and place of birth
- Their occupation and whether they were retired
- Their usual address
- Their surname before marriage or civil partnership
- The full name and occupation of the wife, husband or civil partner
Documents
You will also need to give your full name and address and state your relationship to the deceased.
- A green form to be given to the funeral director allowing the funeral to proceed
- A white form (BD8) to be sent to the Dept of Work and Pensions giving details of pension or benefits
- A death certificate, there will be a minimal charge for this
If you have any queries about the process of registering a death, please contact us.
Local Registry Offices
Sutton Registry Office
25 Worcester Rd, Sutton SM2 6PR
Tel. 020 8770 6790
Merton Registry Office
Morden Park House, London Rd, Morden SM4 5QU
Tel. 020 8274 5777
Epsom Registry Office
The Old Town Hall, The Parade, Epsom Surrey KT18 5BY
Tel. 01372 732000
Croydon Registry Office
Croydon Town Hall, Fell Rd, Croydon CR0 1NX
Tel. 020 8726 6300
Lambeth Registry Office
Lambeth Town Hall, 1 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW
Tel. 020 7926 9420
Leatherhead Registry Office
The Mansion, 70 Church St, Leatherhead KT22 8DP
Tel. 0300 200 1002
Wandsworth Registry Office
113 Wandsworth High St, London SW18 2PT
Tel. 020 8871 6120
Questions and Answers
Contact the deceased’s GP’s surgery, a GP will come and verify the death. A community nurse may also be able to verify the death.
You may then contact a funeral director of your choice to take into their care.
If there is no coroner involvement – Please see below, your GP will issue a medical certificate of cause of death, which you can collect from the surgery you will need to take with you when you go to register the death.
If there is no coroner involvement – please see below a GP or a qualified member of staff will verify the death.
They will then contact us, the Funeral Director to take the deceased into our care.
The medical certificate of cause of death will be issued by the GP and they will let you know when it is complete and where to collect from.
If there isn’t any coroner involvement, the bereavement office will be able to tell you how the medical certificate of cause of death will be issued. When the certificate is ready, they will make an appointment with you, so you can go along and collect it.
Each hospital requires certain paperwork to be completed before we are permitted to bring the deceased into our care. We will always advise you.
If the death occured in an area away from the home, the local GP/Hospital/Coroner will attend to the required paperwork. The registering of the death must be carried out within the district where the death occurred. If the deceased is to be returned home for the funeral to take place, we will organise transportation and all necessary arrangements. This also applies if the death occurred abroad.
In certain circumstances, the medical certificate of cause of death cannot be issued by the Hospital or GP. The death will be reported to the Coroner.