Registering the death
Introduction
All deaths must be registered by law and this is normally done by the next of kin
Exactly when you can register the death depends on when the Medical Certificate is ready and whether the Coroner has been involved. You may have been told at the time of death if the Coroner is to be involved, if not, the Medical Examiner’s Office(r) will let you know
The death should be registered within 5 working days, although this is not always possible.
If the Coroner is involved there may be a delay in registering If a Medical Certificate cannot be issued by the doctors the Coroner’s Office will explain the procedure to register with you.
Visiting the Registrar
You may be able to register the death at this hospital. When the Bereaved Relatives Support Officer telephones to let you know the Medical Certificate is complete, the Officer will discuss this with you and make an appointment for you to see the Registrar, if this is appropriate and an appointment is available.
If you are unable to register at the hospital, you will need to register at one of the local registration offices You must telephone their Customer Service Centre below to make an appointment. If you are not the next of kin, it is worth checking when you ring that it is in order for you to register the death.
If you need to make an appointment at any Norfolk Registration Office please contact the Customer Service Centre on 0344 800 8020.
Alternatively, you can go online to make an appointment, www.norfolk.gov.uk/births-ceremonies-and-deaths/deaths/registera-death
King’s Lynn Register Office
The Town Hall
Saturday Market Place,
King’s Lynn
PE30 5DQ
Strictly by appointment for Coroner’s referrals
Telephone: 0344 800 8020
The office is open: Monday to Saturday 9am to 4:30pm
Alternative local Registrars
For opening hours please see visit ww w.norfolk.gov.uk or call the Customer Service Centre on 034 4 800 8020.
Downham Market
78 Priory Road
Downham Market
PE38 9JS
Diss Council Offices
Market Hill
Diss
IP22 4JZ
North Walsham
18 Kings Arms Street
North Walsham
NR28 9JX
Norwich
The Archive Centre
County Hall
Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2DQ
Strictly by appointment for Coroner’s referrals
Fakenham
Fakenham Connect
Oak Street
Fakenham
NR21 9SR
Dereham
59 High Street
Dereham
NR19 1DZ
Thetford
Thetford Library
Raymond Street
Thetford
IP24 2EA
Great Yarmouth
The Library
Tollhouse Street
Great Yarmouth
NR30 2SH
Strictly by appointment for Coroner’s referrals
What the Registrar will need from you
The Bereaved Relatives Support Officer will send the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the registrars ahead of your appointment. It would be useful to have with you the Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate and NHS Medical Card of the person who died if you have them. Whoever registers the death will also need to sh ow a form of identification to th e Registrar (i e. driving licence or passport).
The Registrar will need the following information:
• date and place of death
• name and surname of the deceased
• maiden surname if the deceased was a woman who had married
• date and place of birth
• occupation
• name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving spouse or civil partner
• name and occupation of spouse if the deceased was widowed
• usual address
• whether the deceased received a pension or allowance from public funds
What the Registrar will give you
The Registrar will email a certificate for burial or cremation (green form) to your Funeral Director.
A certificate of registration of death - Form BD8 (white form). You should read the information on the back, fill it in, and send it to your local Pensions or JobCentre Plus office.
The Registrar will ask how many death certificates you would like printed There is a charge for certificates; the Registrar accepts all types of payment.
The Coroner
Under certain circumstances it is a legal requirement for the Coroner to be informed of a death. For example:
• if the death was due to a fall or accident (whenever it occurred)
• if death was due to self-neglect or neglect by others
• if death was due to an industrial disease or related to the deceased’s employment
• if the death was due to an abortion
• if the death was sudden and unexpected
• if the patient had a recent operation
• if the death was violent or unnatural, or there are suspicious circumstances
Having been informed of the death, the Coroner will decide whether the hospital Doctor can issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death or whether a post-mortem is needed.
If a post-mortem is required, the Bereaved Relatives Support Officer at the hospital will not give you a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death for the Registrar. Once the cause of death has been established and enquiries are complete, the Coroner will issue the required notification to the Registrar and will let you know that you can proceed with registering the death.
The Coroner’s Officer will keep you informed throughout as to what will happen and when.
SECTION 3
Other information
Hospital post-mortems
Sometimes a request is made to the relatives to allow a post-mortem examination to be held, to increase medical knowledge in the hope of improving treatments for the future. In such cases the written permission of the next of kin is required.
N.B. The permission of relatives is not required if a post-mortem is ordered by the Coroner.
Viewing
We normally recommend that if you wish to go to see the deceased, the best place to do this is the Funeral Director’s Chapel of Rest However, it may also be possible to do so in the Viewing Suite at the hospital. This can only be done by appointment.
Please contact the Bereaved Relatives Support Officer on 01553 613878 between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, please ring the hospital switchboard on 01553 613613 and s taff will try to accommodate relatives’ wishes However, it is not always possible to provide this service at weekends or bank holidays.
Tissue donation
Ever y year hundreds of lives are saved with the help of donated organs, such as hearts and kidneys. If your loved one has joined the Organ Donation Register, their medical team may have already spoken to you about this
However, you may not realise that eyes and other tissues, such as skin, bone and heart valves, can also be donated and can dramatically improve the quality of life for recipients, and can even save lives
If your loved one has opted into the Organ Donation Register, they have given their consent to donate their tissues to another person after they die. In that case, you don’t have the legal right to change that decision, but it may still be deemed inappropriate to donate if the circumstances of your loved one’s death means that it would be too distressing for you.
If your loved one opted out of the Organ Donor Register, we will respect this wish and no tissues will be donated.
If eye or tissue donation is something you would like to consider, please inform the Bereaved Relatives Support Officer, who will contact a Donation Coordinator for you.
The funeral
Making funeral arrangements is outside the scope of this booklet. A number of Funeral Directors advertise within this booklet, but you are under no obligation to choose one of these The hospital is not able to recommend a particular Funeral Director
Your Funeral Director will explain to you the various possibilities for the funeral and will make all the arrangements.
Other support from within the hospital
The Chaplains at the hospital would be pleased to see you, talk to you on the phone, or put you in touch with your local faith leader if you wish. The Chaplains can be contacted by calling 01553 6134 41, or by going through the hospital switchboard on 01553 613613
The hospital’s Sacred Space is open day and night and is there for you if you need a quiet place to sit. It is on the ground floor, opposite the X-ray department. It is a beautiful and peaceful place for anyone - of any faith or none - to be quiet, to pray, to weep; perhaps to light a candle or write a prayer You may wish to join one of our Bereavement Support Groups. Please contact the Chaplains for more information, including the dates of our next group, if that is the case.
If you have questions about your loved one’s death, the Bereaved Relatives Support Officer can arrange for you to speak to one of the hospital Doctors who treated the patient. The hospital switchboard will connect you with the Doctor’s secretar y to arrange an appointment, between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Appendix
Arranging a funeral and choosing a Funeral Director
• Your rights and options
• The Funeral Director’s role
• What a simple funeral might include
• Funeral costs and sources of help
• How to complain if you are not satisfied with the ser vices provided
Rights and options
The main requirements in England and Wales are that the death is certified by a Doctor or Coroner, registered with a Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, and the body is either buried or cremated
• You do not have to have a funeral ser vice
• You do not have to use a religious minister
• You do not have to use a Funeral Director
• A funeral ser vice may be held in places other than a crematorium or place of worship
There are more options concerning the arrangements for a funeral ser vice than many people realise. Woodland burial may also be used.
Most people choose to make their arrangements through a Funeral Director. Some people prefer to organise funerals themselves, they are more personal and less expensive. If this approach appeals, make enquiries at the cemeteries and crematorium department of your local authority. You could also get help from the Natural Death Centre. Some Funeral Directors are willing to help in such cases
Choosing a Funeral Director
Funeral Directors will manage all arrangements and give advice and support. Check that the one you choose belongs to a Trade A ssociation They are required to give full information about their ser vices and prices.
Factors which may influence your choices are:
• Location of the firm’s premises
• Range of ser vices provided
• The way you are treated by the staff
• Cost
• Recommendation of those who have used the ser vice
• Ownership (small family business or large firms)
A simple funeral
Most people would expect the Funeral Director to provide the following ser vices as a minimum:
• Make all arrangements
• Provide appropriate staff
• Provide a suitable coffin
• Transfer the deceased from the place of death to the Funeral Director’s premises
• Care for the deceased prior to the funeral
• Provide a hearse to the nearest cemeter y or crematorium
• Arrange for a burial or cremation
Embalming, viewing of the deceased, or providing a limousine for mourners may also be requested.
Funeral costs
Costs may var y from one Funeral Director to another. You may wish to get more than one quote
A sk the Funeral Director for a written quotation itemising the fees paid to others, including cremation, the minister, Doctors certificates, newspaper announcements, flowers etc
• Funeral payments are normally recoverable from the deceased’s estate
Financial help
If you arrange a funeral you are responsible for paying the bill. If you find this difficult, you may be able to get a Social Fund Funeral Payment if you or your partner receive one of the following:
•Income Support
•Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
•Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
•Pension Credit
•Housing Bene fit
• The disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
•Child Tax Credit
•Universal Credit
Complaints
Most funerals are conducted well, but if you have a complaint, you should contact your Funeral Director. If you are not satisfied with the reply, you can complain to the Trade Association listed below which your Funeral Director belongs to:
•The National Assocation of Funeral Directors (NAFD)
•The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF)
Advice may also be obtained from your local Trading Standards department.
Who else should you contact?
The Tell Us Once service allows you to inform all the relevant government departments when someone dies. Tell Us Once will notify:
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) - to deal with personal tax (you need to contact HMRC separately for business taxes, like VAT)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - to cancel benefits and entitlements, for example Universal Credit or State Pension
• Passport Office - to cancel a British passport
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) - to cancel a licence and remove the person as the keeper of up to five vehicles (contact DVLA separately if you keep or sell a vehicle)
• The local council - to cancel Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction (sometimes called Council Tax Support), a Blue Badge, inform council housing services and remove the person from the electoral register
• Veterans UK - to cancel Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
HMRC and DWP will contact you about the tax, benefits and entitlements of the person who died.
Tell Us Once will also contact some public sector pension schemes so tha t they cancel future pension payments. They’ll notify:
• My Civil Service Pension
• NHS Pension Scheme
• Armed Forces Pension Scheme
• Pension schemes for NHS staff, teachers, police and firefighters in Scotland
• Local authority pension schemes that participate in Tell Us Once
You must let the relevant organisations know about the death yourself if you choose not to use the Tell Us Once service or the person died abroad and the death has not been registered with the UK authorities. You should also contact the deceased’s bank or mortgage, pension or insurance providers to close or change the details of their accounts.
A checklist on the next page can be used as a reference for who you may need to contact.
Who else should you contact? - Checklist
accountant
bank / building society
benefits agency
car registration documents
Child Benefit Office (within eight weeks)
church or other place of worship
clubs and social groups
Council Tax Office
dentist
driving licence
Doctors
DVL A (to cancel car tax)
employers
hire purchase/loan companies
home help agency
hospital clinics
household insurance
Income Tax Office
insurance providers
internet provider
landlord
librar y
local authority (re rental /parking permit)
life assurance
local Co-operative Share Dividend Office
mail for redirection
mortgage provider
motoring breakdown policy
motoring insurance
national insurance contributions office (self-employed)
passport
pension plans
Premium Bond Office
National Savings and Investments
Probate Office
professional bodies
private healthcare provider
relatives and friends
solicitor
T V licence
telephone provider - landline and mobile
utilities (gas, electricity, water, telephone)
vehicle registration
Further information
National Association of Funeral Directors
618 War wick Road
Solihull
B91 1A A
Telephone: 0121 711 1343
ww w.nafd.org.uk
The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors
3 Bullfields
Sawbridgeworth CM21 9DB
Telephone: 0345 230 6777
ww w saif org uk
Natural Death Centre
In The Hill House
Watley Lane
Tw y ford
Winchester SO21 1QX
Telephone: 01962 712690
ww w.naturaldeath.org.uk
Lily
Lily provides a comprehensive range of support in West Norfolk to combat loneliness and social isolation in adults of all ages. To contact Lily for support please call 01553 616200 (option 6), visit ww w asklily org uk or email asklily@west-norfolk gov uk
The Lily online director y (ww w.asklily.org.uk) lists organisations, ser vices and activities that help people to live healthy, active and independent lives.
Online resource for funerals
w w w.gov.uk/after-a-death/arrange-the-funeral
List of organisations and advice services who may be able to help you
Department for Work and Pensions
Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Citizen’s Advice
Hanse House
South Quay
King’s Lynn
PE30 5GN
Telephone: 03444 111 444
Samaritans
26 Queen Street
King’s Lynn
PE30 1HT
Telephone: 116 123 (24-hour service)
CRUSE Bereavement Care Helpline
Telephone: 0808 808 1677
Stopping junk mail to the recently deceased
If someone you know has died, the amount of unwanted marketing post being sent to them can be greatly reduced which helps to stop painful daily reminders.
By registering with the free service ww w.stopmail.co.uk the names and addresses of the deceased are removed from mailing lists, stopping most advertising mail within as little as six weeks. If you cannot access the internet you can call 0808 168 9607, where you will be asked for very simple information that will take only a few minutes to complete. Alternatively, ask the Bereavement Team for a leaflet that can be returned in the post.
This free of charge service provided by the Bereavement Support Network will actively reduce the unwanted marketing mail but also can help reduce the likelihood of identity theft following the death of someone close. The information is not used for any other purpose and you only have to complete this once. Additionally to Stop Mail, a comparable service can also be accessed from the Bereavement Register or Deceased Preference Service if you would prefer to use them.
Reference: Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust Bereavement Book
Review Date: August 2026
Publication Date: August 2024
The Hospital would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from services o ering their help at this time.
Whilst the Hospital is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.
