Choosing a Funeral Director
The choice of a funeral director is important. You should feel comfortable and confident with them. You can ask any funeral director for an estimated cost before making a commitment to use their services. It is reasonable to seek estimates from more than one company.
The funeral director needs to know and discuss with you:
• The name, age and religion of your loved one
• The place of death and name of the doctor who has signed the medical certificate
• Any particular requests made by your loved one
• If burial or cremation is required
• The type of service, hymns, cars, flowers, newspaper notices etc. you would like
• The style of coffin.
The funeral director will need the Green Form from the Registrar’s Office (Hartlepool Civic Centre).
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How to register a death
The death must be registered at the local office of registration, which is in the;
Civic Centre
Victoria Road
Hartlepool
TS24 8AY
An appointment system is in operation. To make an appointment you will need to telephone the following number:
Telephone: 01429 523337.
The Registrar’s Office is open at the following times:
Monday 8:30 - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 8:30 - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 8:30 - 5:00 pm
Thursday 8:30 - 5:00 pm
Friday 8:30 - 4:30 pm
For general enquiries telephone: 01429 523337.
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ALICE HOUSE HOSPICE TS24 9DA EASINGTONRD A179 CLEVELANDRD WVIEWRD A1049 M A R I NA WAY A179 A689CHURCHST B1376 HART LN B1277 W O O L E R R D CIVIC CENTRE, VICTORIA ROAD TS24 8AY TEES ST LAUDER ST RABYRD RABYRD MUSEUM RD SWAINSON ST VICTORIA RD MIDDLETON GRANGE LN LUCAN ST AVE RD ERROL ST WHARTON ST LOWTHIAN RD MIDDLETON GRANGE LN DENT ST YORK RD B1277 YORK RD CIVIC CENTRE TS24 8AY © Copyright RNS Publications 2024
The person who goes to register the death must have the following information:
The full name and surname of your loved one, (the maiden name if your loved one was a woman who had married) and any other name.
• The date and place of death
• The date and place of birth
• Usual address and occupation of your loved one
• Marital status
• Name and occupation of her husband if your loved one was a married woman or a widow
• Name and date of birth of the surviving widow/partner
• Whether they were receiving a pension or allowance from public funds.
Who can register the death?
• A relative of your loved one who was present at the death.
• A relative who was in attendance during their illness.
• A relative residing or being in the district when the death occurred.
• A person present at the time of death.
• The person dealing with the funeral arrangements (who is not the funeral director).
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You will need to take with you:
• Medical death certificate
• Birth certificate – if at hand
• NHS Medical card – if possible
• If possible information regarding any pension or allowance received by your loved one
At the Register Office you will be issued with a copy of the Death Certificate. If you think you may need more than one copy to give to other parties, e.g. insurance companies, it would be better to obtain more copies at this time, as some organisations may not accept photocopies of the certificate (the fee for certificates copied is currently £11.00).
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Who else do you need to inform?
There will be people who need to be informed of the death and things that need to be attended to. The following list may help to guide you but it will not include everyone or everything.
Equipment that has been borrowed will need to be returned to the District Nursing Services, Hospice or Hospital. Services and appointments need to be cancelled.
People to inform may include:
• Landlord or local council – if the property is rented
• Employer, Pension Provider and Tax Office
• Children’s school and teacher, if a parent or close relative has died
• Solicitor
• Passport Office
• Council Tax
• Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA Swansea SA99 1AB)
• Insurers – Life, Health, House and Car etc.
• Bank, Building Society, Post Office and Premium Bonds.
It may be useful to check whether debits/payments are being made on insurance policies, personal loans, house, car, credit cards, rental/hire purchase agreements, etc.
The remaining partner may also have to change the name for household services: electricity, gas, telephone, TV licence, insurance policies etc.
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You may also be entitled to certain state benefits or allowances because of a change in your circumstances. Your local Job Centre Plus or Pension Service will be pleased to help you. Ring your local office and ask to make an appointment with the bereavement officer.
Job Centre Plus 0345 604 3719
Pension Service 0345 606 0265
Website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ department-for-work-pensions
Equipment returns:
Tees Community Equipment Service (TCES) 01642 224205
Dolby Visisol (Oxygen return) 0800 917 9840
Wheelchair services (Return) 01429 522471
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Burial
Firstly find out if a plot in a churchyard or cemetery has already been arranged. Check the Will or any other papers which might inform you. If you want the burial to be in a churchyard, you find out from the priest or minister about the plot and the right to burial there.
If it is a new grave, the cost of a headstone is extra to the funeral cost. If it is an existing grave, there will be a charge for reopening the grave and for any extra inscription to be made on the headstone.
If cremation is the wish of your loved one, it is possible to have internment of ashes into a family grave. The funeral director can arrange this and advise you as necessary.
Post Mortem
Where the cause of death is uncertain, a post mortem may be required. This includes when an industrial claim is being made. Until this has been performed (where required), neither a burial nor cremation can take place. In this instance, the hospice team will offer guidence on what happens next involving the coroner.
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Cremation
No one can be cremated until the cause of death has been identified. There will be certain forms you will be required to sign. The local authority governs the cost of the cremation.
It is important to contact the funeral director of your choice as soon as possible. This can be performed by Hospice Staff, on your behalf, should it be required. They will explain everything you need to know clearly and find out your special requests.
If you wish, a service may be held at your own church before the committal takes place at the crematorium.
It is important to state clearly what you would like doing with the cremated remains.
The options are:
Ashes to be scattered in the Garden of Remembrance buried or scattered in a favourite spot, or at sea.
They may be placed in a churchyard, taken to the cemetery and placed with other family members, or you may want to keep them yourself.
A funeral outside the United Kingdom
Only the Coroner can give permission for a funeral to take place outside the United Kingdom. This has to be obtained at least four days (at the Coroner’s discretion) before the body is to be moved, so that he can carry out any necessary enquiries. You will be given a removal notice, part of which is sent to the Registrar. Permission must be obtained in every case.
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Solicitors, Wills and legal matters
You should ascertain if your loved one has made a Will and consult the solicitor who holds it in order to carry out your loved one’s wishes. The Will should disclose the funeral wishes and the name of the executors or the persons legally entitled to deal with the estate of your loved one. The solicitor will help you with the administration of the estate and any questions relating to taxation that may arise. A solicitor can also help if there is no Will, or if the terms of the Will are no longer appropriate.
If you think you may be eligible for Legal Aid, discuss it with the solicitor or contact the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Law Society, Public Library, Police Station or Court for advice.
Help from your Doctor
Everybody reacts differently to bereavement and whilst most people will manage their grief without medical attention, sometimes people do run into difficulties such as prolonged sleeplessness or depression. Your family Doctor is there to help you (and may be able to prescribe something appropriate). He may put you in touch with a counsellor or give advice on bereavement support groups in your area.
Grief
When someone close to us dies we probably experience the most severe form of loss in our lives. It is important to remember there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to grieve, but that grieving is a necessary part of recovery. Grief can be painful and we may experience a whole range of strong feelings, thoughts and physical symptoms we did not expect and which can seem frightening and strange. It may take some time to get through this process and unfortunately it cannot be hurried.
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The immediate impact of loss
Initially the shock, numbness and disbelief can make everything seem unreal. Gradually as the numbness wears off we may begin to feel the full impact of our loss. It is important for us to admit and express our feelings, not deny them. The natural process of grief involves experiencing times of intense feelings and then periods of quiet. Allowing ourselves to move in and out of the pain instead of denying our feelings enables us to go through and complete the process in a more healthy way.
Grief Reactions
Grief is a process, rather like going on a journey that you wouldn’t choose to take. The death of someone can be shocking, painful and seemingly impossible to accept. Every aspect of our life is thrown off balance. We may find our eating and sleeping patterns are affected and we can’t concentrate. We may experience a bewildering array of intense and conflicting emotions which include sorrow, disbelief, anxiety fears and panic, despair and depression, self pity and anger, guilt, regret, isolation or a sense of vulnerability. All these are natural feelings of grief which may occur together or at different times.
Sometimes we become preoccupied with the person who has died, we may think that we have seen them in the street, we may dream about them or hear them call our name. Such vivid experiences can feel very frightening but they are not unusual. Angry feelings can be difficult to deal with, particularly if we feel angry with the person who has died. This is a natural response to the disbelief, frustration and helplessness we feel when confronted with death.
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For Children in the Family
A child may experience the same range of emotions that adults do, but children can find it incredibly difficult to identify their emotions, don’t always have the language to express how they feel, and therefore, have problems expressing feelings appropriately. A change in the child’s behaviour is often the first sign of reaction to bereavement and shows they are struggling with these difficult emotions. Inevitably the age of the child has a direct impact on their level of understanding about what has happened, but try to be direct, clear and honest. When children are not told things they can feel left out and are often confused. Sometimes this can result in them blaming themselves for what happened. Helping children talk about the person who died helps them to understand and cope with what is happening.
Remember
• Talk to children using words they understand.
• Tell children information a bit at a time.
• Don’t be afraid to show children how you are feeling.
• Try and encourage children to ask questions.
• Answer questions honestly and simply.
• Try to find ways in which children can be involved.
Give children a choice about going to the funeral after explaining what will happen. Reassure them they can change their mind at any time.
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Someone from the Hospice will contact you to offer support and to let you know what other help is available from the Hospice following your bereavement.
Bereavement can turn your world upside down and is one of the most painful experiences you will have.
Bereavement Service Number 01429 855550
Reference: Alice House Hospice Bereavement Booklet
Publication date: March 2024
Review date: March 2026
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Hartlepool Area Co-operative Funeral Service 01429 274 077 Derek Noble Funeral Services 01429 244 000 Hodgson Family Funeral Home 01429 802 866 Meynall & Mason Funeral Directors 01429 862 021 Victoria House Funeral Service 01429 234 777 Joel D Kerr Funeral Service 01429 269 000 Peterlee and surrounding villages Cochranes Funeral Directors Horden 0191 586 5544 Shotton Colliery 0191 517 0022 Trimdon Station 01429 363 200 Co-operative Funeral Service Horden 0191 586 3800 Wheatley Hill 01429 820 111 Delanoy Funeral Services, inc. R Delanoy & Son Peterlee 0191 518 1399 Easington Village 0191 527 0265 Peterlee 0191 527 0265
Local Funeral Directors
15 East Durham Funeral Service Easington Colliery 0191 527 1499 Horden 0191 586 5178 Peterlee 0191 586 4322 Trimdon Grange 01429 883 777 Wingate 01429 839 363 Kevin Hepworth Funeral Directors 0191 527 3769 Peterlee Meynall & Mason Funeral Directors 01429 835 088 Wingate R.G Bennett Funeral Services 0191 518 4012 Blackhall Colliery
The Hospice 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 Hospice is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.
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