Registering the death

The death must be registered within 5 days in England and Wales (8 in Scotland), at the register office for the district where the death occurred — even if the funeral has already taken place. A coroner's investigation can extend this.

Most offices ask you to book an appointment. Where you cannot get one quickly, go to the office and explain you need the burial order urgently for faith reasons — many keep urgent slots for exactly this.

• a relative;
• a person present at the death;
• the occupier of the premises where the death occurred, if they knew of it;
• the person arranging the funeral (this means a family member or friend, not the funeral director).

Bring the medical certificate (MCCD); the deceased's birth certificate, passport or medical card also help if you have them. The registrar interviews you in private and will ask for:

• the date and place of birth and of death;
• the full name, any former names, and maiden name;
• their occupation and, if married or widowed, the spouse's full name, occupation and date of birth;
• whether they received a pension from public funds.

You sign the original register page. Check it very carefully first — corrections later are difficult, sometimes impossible, and carry fees.

• The Certificate for Burial — the green form — which authorises the funeral. The cemetery cannot bury without it (or the coroner's Form 101). In some districts it can even be issued before full registration; ask the office or its out-of-hours service.
• Form BD8 (the white form) for notifying the DWP.
• Certified copies of the death certificate, for a small fee per copy. Banks, insurers and pension services each want one — order several now; it's cheaper than ordering later.

In most of England and Wales the free Tell Us Once service reports the death to government departments, agencies and the council in one go. The registrar gives you a reference number to use online or by phone, and you choose which organisations are told.