Lewisham District Community Nursing Team by bereavementadvice

NHS

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Help and advice about what to do following a death at home A brief guide for bereaved relatives and friends

Lewisham District Community Nursing Team

Introduction This booklet provides information about what to do when a death occurs at home including help and advice for the first few days following the death. This is a time of grief and sorrow but it is unfortunately also the time during which a number of matters must be dealt with. These can prove confusing and bewildering and the community nursing staff hope that this booklet will be helpful.

Contents

Page

When the expected death occurs................................................................................... 1 Medical Cause of Death Certificate ............................................................................ 1 Medical Examiners Office............................................................................................................. 2 Under what circumstances is a death reported to a Coroner? ............................................................................................................................................................... 3-4 Registration ............................................................................................................................................................ 5-8 Funeral directors ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Help with funeral costs ....................................................................................................................... 10 Who to inform of the death ......................................................................................................... 11 Wills and probate ......................................................................................................................................... 11-12 Further information.................................................................................................................................... 13 Grief and emotions.................................................................................................................................... 14 Stop Mail...................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Bereavement Support Network .......................................................................................... 15 Government website .............................................................................................................................. 15-16 Support and help..............................................................................................................................17-19

When the expected death occurs When the death occurs you need to contact the patient’s GP to verify the death. If the death occurs during the patient’s GP surgery opening hours you need to contact the GP surgery and inform them of the death. The GP will arrange a time to visit with you to verify the death. Below is space for you to write down the number of the surgery. GP name Surgery opening times Surgery number If the death occurs when the surgery is closed i.e. overnight or at the weekend or on a bank holiday you need to contact SELDOC on 0208 693 9066. A SELDOC doctor will arrange a time to visit with you to certify the death. If the death occurs close to the opening time of the GP surgery you can contact the GP surgery when they open to tell them of the death and to ask them to visit to verify it. Once you have contacted the GP to verify the death you should contact your preferred funeral director who will discuss with you the process of removing the body from the home.

Medical Cause of Death Certificate Before a death can be registered at the registry office, a doctor will need to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). Usually this is the patient’s GP. However, for patients who die of an industrial illness, for example Mesothelioma, the death needs to be reported to the Coroner. The GP will do this if it is required. 1

Medical Examiners Team Within a few days of the death, you will be contacted by the Medical Examiners Team, who are independent from the care your loved one received. The Medical Examiner Team will facilitate the completion of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) with the GP who has been looking after them. The Medical Examiner Team will be able to explain the cause of death and aim to answer any questions and assist with any concerns you may have regarding care and treatment. The team will then be able to explain the next steps which will allow you to Register the death. Once you have Registered the death the Registrar will produce the Certified copies of the Death Certificate. You will be able to buy copies for which there is a charge for each. The Medical Examiner Team can be reached on: University Hospital Lewisham 0203 192 6045 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich 0208 836 4626 /4627 Senior Medical Examiner 0208 836 6172 Email: lg.medicalexaminerofficecommunitylgt@nhs.net

Under what circumstances is a death reported to a Coroner? If you are aware that someone has died unexpectedly you should contact the deceased’s GP or the police. The deceased’s GP will either arrange for a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to be issued, or will ensure all the details are referred to the coroner’s office. The police will refer the circumstances to the coroner’s office. Normally registrars of births and deaths, doctors (GPs or hospital doctors), the police and others report deaths to coroners in certain circumstances. Deaths that must be reported are deaths that are violent ‘unnatural’ or of unknown cause. These are broad categories. The following list contains examples of the types of death that will be reported but the list is not complete or exhaustive: • • • • • • • • •

The death was due to poisoning including by an otherwise benign substance The death was due to exposure to, or contact with a toxic substance The death was due to the use of a medicinal product, the use of a controlled drug or psychoactive substance The death was due to violence, trauma or injury The death was due to self-harm The death was due to neglect, including self-neglect The death was due to a person undergoing any treatment or procedure of a medical or similar nature The death was due to an injury or disease attributable to any employment held by the person during the person’s lifetime The person’s death was unnatural but does not fall within any of the above circumstances

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The cause of death is unknown The registered medical practitioner suspects that the person died while in custody or otherwise in state detention There was no attending registered medical practitioner, and there is no other registered medical practitioner to sign a medical certificate cause of death in relation to the deceased person Neither the attending medical practitioner, nor any other medical practitioner able to sign the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, is available within a reasonable time of the person’s death to sign the certificate of cause of death

If the identity of the deceased person is unknown it should be noted that most deaths do not need to be reported. In many cases the deceased person’s own doctor, or a hospital doctor who has been treating him or her during the final illness, is able to issue MCCD without reference to a coroner. The death can then be registered by the registrar of births and deaths, who will issue the death certificate. Sometimes doctors may discuss the case with the coroner and this may result in the coroner deciding that he or she does not need to make further inquiries. In the light of that discussion the doctor concerned may be able to issue the MCCD and the coroner will issue a certificate (Form A) to the registrar. However, if the coroner decides to investigate a death the registrar of births and deaths must wait for the coroner to finish his or her inquiries before the death can be registered. These inquiries may take time, so it is always best to contact the coroner’s office before any funeral arrangements are made. In many cases the decision to investigate will not hold up funeral arrangements.

Registration The death must be registered with the registrar of births and deaths within five days (if it has not been reported to the Coroner). However, if for any reason you are unable to attend the district where the death occurred, please contact your local registry office for advice regarding the registration. Please be aware that registering the death at a location other than that of the district/borough of death you will encounter a delay to the process. You can arrange this appointment yourself, but it must be arranged for a time and date after you have collected the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from the GP. The Lewisham Register Office is located at 368 Lewisham High Street London SE13 6LQ Tel 0208 690 2128

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Who can register the death? • • •

A relative of the deceased The person who is arranging the funeral A person present at the death

What the registrar will ask you about the person who has died: • • • • • •

their full name and surname (including maiden name if the deceased was a woman who had married) date and place of birth last permanent address occupation (and if applicable the name and occupation of the deceased’s spouse or civil partner) if the deceased was married or in a civil partnership, the date of birth of the surviving spouse or civil partner whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits

You will need to take with you the Medical Cause of Death Certificate and if possible birth/marriage/civil partnership certificates. What the registrar will give you: • •

Certificate for burial or cremation (known as the Green Form). This is the form that will be required by your chosen funeral director to allow the funeral to go ahead. A Certificate of Registration of death.

Copies of the death certificate: Certificates are required when settling the deceased’s estate, it is advisable to purchase more than one certificate as they are often required for sorting out financial affairs such as insurance policies, pension claims or other purposes. There is a fee for each certificate. You can purchase additional copies if required at a later date. Tell Us Once service You have the option of using the Tell Us Once service which is a partnership between registrar’s offices and departments across the government. Information which you provide to the registrar can be passed onto government organisations which need to be informed about a person’s death. When you telephone to make your appointment with the registrar you will be informed of the service and what you will need to take with you if you wish to use the service. Some of the organisations that can be informed include: • • • •

Council services in the area where the person lived e.g. housing benefit office, blue badges, adult social care services Identity and passport service - for british passports cancellation Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) – for UK driving licence cancellation Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

Funeral directors It is a common misconception that you cannot contact the funeral director until the death has been registered. You do not have to wait until you have registered the death before contacting a funeral director. The organising of a funeral can be carried out as soon after death as you feel comfortable. Your chosen funeral director will need the Certificate of Burial or Cremation, which the registrar will give you. If the death has been referred to the coroner the funeral director will liaise with the coroner’s office for you. You may wish to approach more than one funeral director to get an estimate of their costs before making your choice; you will find that your chosen funeral director will be able to guide you in every detail in making funeral arrangements. There are no universal standards applying to funeral directors but some are members of a professional organisation operating under a code of conduct. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) are two examples of these. Funeral director’s addresses and telephone numbers can be obtained from the internet and local telephone directories.

Help with funeral costs If you are finding it difficult to pay for a funeral that you have to arrange, you may be entitled to receive a Social Fund Funeral Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions providing you receive certain benefits. The booklet and application form for help with the costs of a funeral from the Social Fund (SF200) published by the Department for Work and Pensions is available via www.gov.uk and your local Social Security office.

Who to inform of the death There are various people, companies and other interested parties that need to be informed such as: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Post Office/Building Society or Bank Social Security to cancel any pension, allowances or benefits Employer Solicitor/Accountant Pension or Life Assurance providers Insurance companies (car, house etc.) Inland Revenue Credit Card company Social Services Landlord/Housing Association or local housing department GP and any other hospital the deceased may have been attending TV Licensing

Wills and probate If the person who died left a will, they Will usually have asked an executor to deal with their estate. If the person did not name an executor or did not leave a Will, an administrator will need to be appointed to deal with the estate. There can be more than one administrator. Executors and administrators are also called ‘personal representatives’. If you are entitled to deal with someone’s estate, you may have to apply for permission from the Probate Service to manage it. This permission is called ‘a grant of representation’ (or ‘probate’ for short). There are three types of grant issued by the Probate Service. The grant issued will depend on the circumstances of the case.

Type of grants: Grant of ‘probate’ • One or more of the executors named in the Will Grant of ‘letters of administration (with will annexed)’ • An administrator, who is appointed by a court when the executors named in the Will are not available, not willing or not suitable to manage the estate, or if the Will does not name executors Grant of ‘letters of administration’ • Administrators when there is no valid Will You may be able to deal with someone’s estate without having to apply for a grant of representation. You should contact the organisations holding the property, money and belongings of the person who died, to find out if they need to see a grant before they release any assets to you. You can apply for this yourself or use the services of a solicitor. For further information or guidance contact the Probate and Inheritance Tax helpline telephone: 0300 123 1072 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or www.gov.uk/browse/births-deaths-marriages/death

Further Information After a few days you may find that you have a number of questions that you would like to ask about the death of your relative. Staff will try to help you as much as they can. If you have questions about the medical condition or treatment received by your relative, it is important that they are answered by a professional with the relevant expertise. If this is the situation, please contact the GP responsible for your relative’s medical care. Some relatives find it helpful to do this two or three weeks after their relative has died when they feel more able to deal with their bereavement. If the questions are about general care of your relative whilst at home, you should contact the community nurse via the single point of access on 020 8314 7777. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) are also there to support and assist you with any concerns you may have. They can be contacted on 020 8333 3355.

Grief and emotions Grief is a personal experience; the experience of loss can be upsetting physically, emotionally and socially. Reactions to grief are quite natural; it is important to remember this is not an illness. You may find that you feel quite numb to begin with. It may be difficult to eat or sleep; you may lose energy, feel cold, strained, run down and as though nothing seems real. These are natural bodily reactions to shock and trauma. At first it can be very difficult to believe that someone has died. You may feel an intense longing to be with them. A common experience is to feel that they are still physically with you. It is important to talk about the person who has died, especially important to include children and young people, as they will be experiencing similar feelings. Your memories of the deceased - good and bad, are important. You may well find feelings of guilt and anger coming out. It can feel very disloyal to be angry with the one who has died and left you, but many people go through this experience. It may be that there is a conflict within your religious beliefs. Very often people want to help you but feel awkward and many avoid you or feel unable to talk to you. If you feel able, let them know that you need them and their support. Remember that to express your feelings of grief is both painful and healing. Crying can be helpful. There will be difficulties ahead; perhaps many months or years after the person has died, especially around special dates. When someone close to you has died it is really important for you to share your feelings with people you can trust.

Stop Mail Is a free of charge service to reduce the amount of direct mail sent to those who have died, which can cause considerable distress to bereaved families. This free of charge service provided by the Bereavement Support Network will actively reduce the unwanted mail and the likelihood of identity theft following the death of someone close. Simply visit www.stopmail.co.uk

Bereavement Support Network Is a free of charge online resource that provides clear advice and information following the death of someone close. From help with arranging a funeral, to what to do if there is no money, the website has been designed to give you guidance and support in a clear and easy to understand format. www.bereavementsupport.co.uk

Government website The government website www.gov.uk contains a wealth of information on a wide range of subjects which you may find useful such as: •

Wills, probate and inheritance Sorting out a deceased person’s affairs - get a grant of representation, become an executor, distribute an estate, and find out what to do if there’s no Will

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Bereavement Allowance Bereavement Allowance (previously widow’s pension) is a weekly benefit for widows, widowers or surviving civil partners - rates, eligibility and claim form

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Bereavement Payment Bereavement Payment if your husband, wife or civil partner dies - eligibility, what you’ll get, how to claim

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Find bereavement services from your council Contact your council to find resources and support to help when you have to cope with a death

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Finding a person’s Will Types of places to search for a deceased person’s Will including at their solicitor, bank or the Principal Registry of the Family Division

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Funeral Payments Funeral Payments to help pay funeral costs if you’re on a low income - eligibility, how to claim, form SF200

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Intestacy Find out who is entitled to a share of someone’s property, possessions and money if they die without making a Will

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Inheritance Tax How to pay Inheritance Tax: get a reference number, payment methods; use the deceased’s bank account, National Savings and Investments, government stock

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Telling DVLA about a bereavement What you need to tell DVLA if someone who was a driver has died

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Valuing the estate of someone who’s died When someone dies, you need to find out the value of the estate to see if Inheritance Tax is due - valuing the estate, reliefs, gifts, joint assets, stocks and shares, trusts and deductions

•

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Provides benefits and services for a wide range of people. Telephone 0800 731 7898 16

Support and Help Cruse Bereavement Care • Provides a nationwide service of bereavement counselling advice, information and social contact. www.cruse.org.uk National helpline: 0808 808 1677 Greenwich branch: 020 8850 0505 Bexley and Bromley branch: 020 8304 5245 •

Support for young people www.hopeagain.org.uk telephone 0808 808 1677

Lewisham Bereavement Counselling • A community based counselling and advice service for bereaved people living in the Borough of Lewisham. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10am to 6pm 020 8692 6252 Samaritans • 24 hour helpline for help and support on any matter. www.samaritans.org telephone 116 123 Bereavement Advice Centre • A national organisation offering advice on all aspects of bereavement. www.bereavementadvice.org telephone 0800 634 9494 WAY Foundation (Widowed and Young) • For under 50’s www.widowedandyoung.org.uk Age UK • For information and advice on a range of subjects www.ageuk.org.uk telephone 0800 169 6565

The Compassionate Friends • Supporting bereaved parents and their families after the death of a child. www.tcf.org.uk telephone 0345 123 2304 Winston’s Wish • National charity helping bereaved children. www.winstonswish.org telephone 08088 020 021 SSAFA • National charity for helping serving and ex-serving men, women and their families in need. www.ssafa.org.uk telephone 0800 260 6767 MIND • National leading mental health charity supporting individuals in times of bereavement. www.mind.org.uk National Tel: 0300 123 3393 The Silver Line • Helpline for older people offering free, confidential information, friendship and advice. www.thesilverline.org.uk National Tel: 0800 470 8090 Counselling Directory • A comprehensive database of UK counsellors, with information of their training and experience. A free confidential service. www.counselling-directory.org.uk Inquest • Charitable service providing advice to bereaved families regarding Inquests. www.inquest.org.uk

Way Up • Self-help group and support network for people widowed in their 50’s and 60’s. www.way-up.co.uk London Friend • Supporting the Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Community www.londonfriend.org.uk LGBT Bereavement helpline Tel: 0300 330 0630 Macmillan Cancer Support • For practical support and advice www.macmillan.org.uk Support Line Tel: 0808 808 00 00

We wish to thank the advertisers and sponsors, without whom this publication would not have been possible. However, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust does not endorse any of the products or services they provide.

Publication: Lewisham District Community Nursing Team Bereavement Booklet Publication date: January 2024 Review date: January 2026

The Hospital would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from services offering 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.

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STOPPING JUNK MAIL It is distressing to deal with a bereavement and unsolicited mail can be

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By scanning the below QR code on your phone or visiting

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with mailing organisations and under the Data Protection Act the information will not be used for any other purpose.

Other benefits reduce the possibility of identity fraud, such as assumed

identity and you will only have to supply the information once.

A trading style of Turnside Marketing Ltd

This publication has been jointly developed between ourselves and the hospital. We hope that it has been or will be of help at this time and we welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have. Please contact us either by phone, email or by post.

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