Losing a loved one is a difficult time. Death in itself is distressing and unfortunately, the administrative procedures, which must be followed, can be an additional unwelcome burden. These pages are designed to provide some useful help and advice with the arrangements for dealing with a death. 
 
If the Death Occurs in Hospital
If the death occurs in hospital, the hospital 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 it 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.

If the Death Occurs Elsewhere

Expected Death
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 in a sealed envelope addressed to the registrar). A Formal Notice that states that the doctor has signed the Medical Certificate and tells you 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.

If the death followed illness from HIV or AIDS there may be special rules about handling the body.

The Terence Higgins Trust can advise on funeral arrangements.

Unexpected Death
If you discover a body or the death is sudden or unexpected, you should contact the following people:

The family doctor (if known). Click here to link to the NHS website for a list of GPs. The deceased's nearest relative The deceased's minister of religion The police, who will help find the people listed above if necessary

If there is any reason to suspect that the death was not due to natural causes, do not touch or remove anything from the room. The death may be referred to the coroner.

The doctor may ask the relatives for permission to carry out a post-mortem examination. This is a medical examination of the body, which can find out more about the cause of the death and should not delay the funeral.

Reporting a Death to a Coroner
In any of the following circumstances the doctor may report the death to the coroner:

An accident or injury An industrial disease during a surgical operation before recovery from an anaesthetic If the cause of death is unknown The death was sudden and unexplained, for instance, a sudden infant death (cot death)

You will be advised if the death has to be reported to the Coroner, in which case the death cannot be registered nor the funeral take place, without the Coroner's Authorisation.
Where a death is reported to the Coroner, the Coroner's Office will contact the relatives.

A Coroner can order a post-mortem examination without getting the relative's permission. This examination will ascertain the cause of death. He may also wish to hold an investigation into circumstances leading up to a death. (This is called an inquest).

When an inquest is called, the Coroner's Office will contact the relatives. This should not cause undue distress, as it is a legal formality. In such cases the Death Certificate will be issued direct to you from the Coroner's Office and the relatives must then go to the Registrar to register the death.

When an inquest is to be held, the death cannot be registered until the conclusion of the inquest, but a certificate will normally be issued at the opening of the inquest to allow the funeral to take place.

HM Coroner's office for Essex & Thurrock can be contacted on  01245 506837.

Coroner's Service,
New Bridge House,
60-68, New London Road,
Chelmsford,
CM2 0PD.

Registering a Death
The death must be registered in the District Register Office where it occurred. The Register Office for Braintree is located at;

John Ray House,
Bocking End,
Braintree, 
CM7 9RW.

Tel: 01376 320762. An appointment system operates.

It is also possible to make a declaration to register the death before any Registrar in England and Wales to be posted to the Register Office for the district where the death took place. If you choose to do this there could well be a delay in the funeral arrangements and in receiving documents.

Home Visits
Home visits to register a birth, death or still birth are entirely at the discretion of the Registrar, and are subject to many and varied criteria. Please contact Registrars (details above) for further details.

When does the Death need to be Registered?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a death should be registered within five days of its happening. Registration can be delayed for a further nine days provided the Registrar receives, in writing, confirmation that a medical certificate of the cause of death has been signed by the doctor.

Who can Register the Death?
People with legal responsibility to register include:

A relative of the deceased A person present at the death A person arranging the funeral - This does NOT mean the funeral director. In certain circumstances others, such as the administrator of an elderly persons home, can register a death.

For advice please contact the Register Office.

What is needed to Register the Death?
The Registrar will interview you in private and will need to know the following information:

The date and place of death. The full name and surname, and maiden surname if the person who has died was a married woman. The date and place of birth. The occupation and, if the deceased person was a married woman or widow the full name and occupation of her husband. The usual address. If the person who has died was married, the date of birth of the surviving spouse. Whether the person who has died was receiving a pension from public funds.

You will need to bring the medical certificate of cause of death issued by the doctor treating the person who has died. This is essential - the Registrar can do nothing without it.

If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the Coroner's Office will advise you what to do. If the deceased received a pension or allowance from public funds, eg. Civil Service or Army Pensions, please inform the Registrar.

The Registrar will enter all these details into a computer system and will then give you the opportunity to check they are correct. The information will then be written into a register. This is the "original" legal record and you should check it through very carefully before signing it, as any mistakes discovered later on may be difficult to correct.

What Documents Will I Receive?
A "Green Form" which enables you to arrange the funeral (If the Coroner is involved different procedures may apply). You will also be given a form for Social Security purposes. Both of these documents are issued free of charge.

A death certificate can also be purchased from the Registrar.

Funeral Arrangements
When the death certificate has been issued by the Registrar, you will also be given a certificate authorising the funeral. The choice of a firm of funeral directors is important, as you should feel comfortable and confident with them. They may be known to you personally, may be recommended by a friend, your GP or religious adviser or may just have a good reputation in your area.

Click here to visit the on-line Yellow Pages, where you can search for local Funeral Directors.

Please also see:

- The Funeral Standards Council
- National Association of Funeral Directors
- Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors 

All of the above have a code of practice and should give you an estimate of costs - their own and those fees they will pay on your behalf and add to the account. You can ask for this estimate in advance and it's a good idea to ask different firms to quote so that you can compare costs.

Your funeral director can make all the arrangements for the funeral, burial or cremation, religious or secular service. The funeral director can also advise on all the procedures and documents needed to register the death.

If you are considering a headstone in one of our cemeteries we advise to wait for a period of approximately six months and preferably up to a year before placing it. However, we suggest you contact your preferred choice of monumental mason as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary delay after this waiting period.

Non-Religious Services
There is no requirement to have a religious ceremony or any kind of ceremony at all at a funeral. People that regard religion to be unimportant or have made a decision to live their lives without it may prefer a Humanist Ceremony.

This type of ceremony is not intended to oppose a religious funeral, but to provide a dignified and respectful celebration of the death that has occurred. At this type of funeral the services of an officiant, on the lines of a minister or celebrant are commonly employed.

They will conduct the proceedings, which can involve readings of appropriate prose, tributes by attendees or the officiant and the playing of appropriate music. The British Humanist Association offer advice on all aspects of humanist ceremonies and produce a booklet, Funerals Without God: A Practical Guide to Non-religious Funerals which can be purchased for £5 (including postage and packing).

Celebrants are trained professionals who can officiate at funerals, weddings, namings or any other rite of passage.

If you don't want a ceremony at all, members of the family or close friends can attend the committal, which can be in silence or with some music being played.

Non-Church of England Funerals
If you have to arrange a funeral for someone who is of a faith different from your own, it is important to contact the equivalent of the local priest of the denomination to find out what needs to be done.

Non-Christian and Minority Group Funerals
A brief word on the practices of other faiths is included below:

Muslims
Most Muslim communities appoint one person who is responsible for making funeral arrangements. It will be their job to advise of the rules and to select a suitable funeral director.

Hindus
Hindus are always cremated, and never buried. There are many possible variations of rites which depend on their form of Hinduism.

Asian Funerals
Further information may be obtained by reading the online leaflet from Direct.gov entitled 'What to do when somebody Dies'.