First Steps ...
Verification
Verification
When death occurs, the first thing that has to happen is that the death must be verified by a professional with authority to do so. For example a doctor, paramedic or qualified nurse.
If the deceased passes away in hospital, the hospital will deal with the immediate arrangeements and guide you through the initial processes of obtaining paperwork, personal information etc
If death occurs at home, in working hours, the deceased's doctor should be contacted.
If a death occurs at home, out of working hours, call NHS 111 to contact the doctor or district nurse on call for the area. Once verified, the deceased can be moved by your chosen funeral director.
If someone passes away suddenly or unexpectedly then the police need to be called and the Coroner will be informed. The police will guide you through the procedure and they will arrange for the transfer of the deceased, on behalf of the Coroner, to the local hospital or dedicated mortuary.
The Coroner will then give the family / next of kin / executor clear instructions regarding the way forward and if a post-mortem or inquiry is needed they will provide the necessary paperwork to move forward with the funeral arrangements.
The Registration Process ...
Registering the death is the first job on the family/next of kin/executors list of things to do.
Once the Medical Examiner* has been in touch with you, you can call your local registry office and ask for an appointment to register a death.
(see below local registry office information)
The registration process takes around 30 minuets and is free, however you will have to pay to have copies of the death certificate printed which costs £12.50 each.
If you have questions on what to bring with you, what may be asked etc please don't hestitate to get in touch with us and we'll help guide you further through the process.
Get in touch
Our closest Registry Office -
Taunton Registry Office
Address:
Municipal Buildings,
Old Municipal Buildings,
Corporation Street,
Taunton TA1 4AQ
Tel:
01823 282251
Tell us Once
Tell Us Once is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go.
You will be told about this service and how to use it by the registrar.
It will help you to close accounts on behalf of the deceased, releaving the stress of trying to close each one down seperately.
Choosing a Funeral Director ...
The family/next of kin/executor can appoint their preferred funeral director who will be able to help with the arrangements and can also liase with the Coroner and other related professionals on their behalf.
Some people find this particularly useful and reassuring as they may never have dealt with this kind of thing before and the whole process can be daunting at what is already a sad and emotional time.
It is becoming more and more popular to arrange your own funeral or at least write down your plans and thoughts. Often within the plans will be a preffered funeral director.
However if it is up to you as the family/next of kin/executor here is some tips on how to choose:
- Look for a member of a professional association such as the Naitional Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF). Saif has codes of practice and complaints procedures.
- Ask family/friends for funeral directors that they may have worked with before and would recommend.
Don't Feel Pressured ...
Don't feel embarrassed to ask for a simpler or less expensive option and don't feel pressured into making choices beyond your means.
