Registering a death

If someone close to you has died we appreciate that this can be a very emotional time for you - our staff at Nightingale House are here to help and guide you through this difficult time.

You may feel you want to contact us as soon as the death occurs, but please be aware that legally you have five days in which to record your loved one's details. The first thing is to obtain the medical certificate from the doctor or the hospital (if the Coroner is involved the Coroner's Officer will guide you); if there is any delay to the issue of the medical certificate then initial arrangements could be made with the Funeral Director/Organiser before registering the death.

Once you know when the medical certificate will be available then please contact the Register Office to make an appointment. If you wish you can register the death using the 'tell us once' service

A death must be registered in the district in which it occurred. If you do not live in the district where the death happened, it is possible to attend any Register Office in England and Wales to register the death 'by Declaration'. This process allows you to provide all of the information necessary to register the death, which is then forwarded to the district where it occurred. For further information about registering a death by declaration.