In Times of Bereavement

If someone dies at home and their death was expected

Call their GP practice and nearest relative (if that’s not you). First, a doctor or nurse will come to verify the death. A doctor then completes their part of a medical certificate which says the cause of death. This is then sent to a medical examiner (a senior doctor) who reviews it. The medical examiner or one of their team will then speak to the nearest relative to check they understand and agree with the medical certificate. You can ask the medical examiner questions and raise any concerns you have about the death at this stage. You’ll also be given a formal notice stating that the MCCD has been signed. This notice tells you how to register the death. Then, when you feel ready to do so, you can contact a funeral director of your choice who will move the body.

If someone dies at home unexpectedly

Call 999 immediately and explain what’s happened. If the cause of death is unclear or unnatural, for example as the result of an accident, or the person hadn’t been seen by a doctor during their last illness, the death will need to be reported to a coroner. A coroner is a lawyer with the legal duty to investigate unexpected deaths (some coroners are also doctors). The coroner may call for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. This may take some time, so the funeral may need to be delayed. You cannot refuse the examination, but you can tell them if you need to arrange the funeral quickly for faith reasons.

When someone dies unexpectedly, the police will also be called to do a routine visit. They’ll ask questions about the circumstances of the death which may be used to help the coroner to understand the cause of death. This can be unsettling but it’s important to remember that it’s normal procedure in these circumstances.  

If someone dies in hospital

The hospital will explain the steps you need to take. After the death has been verified by a first doctor or nurse, the cause of death will then usually be checked by the medical examiner, who will then issue an MCCD and formal notice will be issued directly to the registrar. 

The body will usually be kept in the hospital mortuary until the relatives arrange for it to be taken to the funeral director’s premises or taken home. If an MCCD can’t be issued, the hospital will refer the death to the coroner.

If someone dies abroad

If someone dies abroad, you should register the death according to the regulations of the country. A local death certificate can usually be used in the UK. However, if it’s not in English, you’ll probably need to get a certified translation if you’re dealing with the person’s affairs. You might also choose to register the death with UK authorities. To do this, contact the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). You can call them on 020 7008 5000.

Find out more about what to do after a British national dies abroad on GOV.UK

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Arranging the funeral

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral directors

Choose a funeral director who’s a member of one of the following:

• National Association of Funeral Directors
• National Federation of Funeral Directors
• Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

These organisations have codes of practice – they must give you a price list when asked.

Some local councils run their own funeral services, for example for non-religious burials. The British Humanist Association can also help with non-religious funerals.

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Arranging the funeral yourself

Contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your local council to arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can include:

• funeral director fees
• things the funeral director pays for on your behalf (called ‘disbursements’ or ‘third-party costs’), for example, crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement about the death
• local authority burial or cremation fees

Funeral directors may list all these costs in their quotes.

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Hospital Bereavement Care Services

If a person died in hospital, support for the bereaved is offered by the hospital bereavement care services and the chaplaincy teams.

Please note that chaplaincy services in all the hospitals are for people of all faiths, or none.

Hospice Bereavement Support Services

Support after the loss of a child, including during pregnancy and birth.

Bereavement support for children

Bereavement support and counselling services

Bereavement by suicide

Other information and advice