What to do when someone dies

When someone close to you passes away, the steps may feel very challenging. It can be a very upsetting and difficult time. Navigating the grief can be overwhelming.

Many of us know that there are certain things that will need to be done, but the order is not something we are often familiar with.

This page aims to take you through the steps to consider when someone dies in the UK and gives you a practical checklist you can utilise. There are some different actions to take when someone dies at home compared to when they die in hospital, and what happens if the death is unexpected.

If you would like support please call us on 01277 713313 and we will be happy to help you during this stressful time.

1. If the death is unexpected, call the emergency services on 999 straight away.

• If you are present, check for signs of life. If they are not breathing you could try CPR if you know how. If you know the person has a “Do Not Resuscitate” order, then do not attempt CPR.

• Do not move the person, this will be done by the emergency services.

• A coroner will usually be involved before a Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) can be issued.

2. If the person dies at home and it is an expected death (for instanced, they have been very ill)

• Call their doctor or NHS 111 so they can confirm the death and issue the MCCD.

3. If the person dies in a hospital, hospice or care home

• The staff there will usually arrange for a doctor to verify the death and issue the MCCD.

All deaths are reported by the doctor to the Medical Examiners Office, who will usually call you to discuss the cause of death and any concerns you have.

1. After someone dies, a medical examiner will check the cause of death to make sure it’s accurate.

• They will be a senior doctor and they will not have been involved in the care of the person who has died.  

• The medical examiner’s office will then contact you to:

  • explain the cause of death

  • answer any questions you have about this or the healthcare provided to the person before they died

• This is voluntary and you do not have to speak to them. 

2. You will be contacted by the medical examiners office to confirm you can register the death.

• To register take the Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) to the local register office.

• This is required within 5 days of being contacted by the medical examiners office in England, Wales & Northern Ireland, or 8 days in Scotland. These time limits include weekends and bank holidays.

• You can find the location of your nearest register office online

3. After you’ve registered the death the registrar will provide:

• A certificate for burial or cremation (often called ‘the green form’). Give the certificate to your funeral director, crematorium or burial authority. You must do this before the funeral can take place.

• A death certificate (you may need multiple copies for banks, insurance and so on).

• Details of the ‘Tell Us Once’ service (which lets you notify lots of government departments in one go about the death).

It is becoming increasingly common for deaths to go through the coroners service. We are privileged to have worked with the coroners office for over a decade. If you would like any support or advice please call us on 01277 713313 and we will be happy to help you.

1. If a death is reported to a coroner.

• The documents you need to register the death may be different.

• The coroner will decide either:

  • the cause of death is clear

  • that a post-mortem is needed

  • to hold an inquest

2. If a post-mortem is needed

• The coroner may decide a post-mortem is needed to find out how the person died. This can be done either in a hospital or mortuary.

• You cannot object to a coroner’s post-mortem - but if you’ve asked the coroner must tell you (and the person’s GP) when and where the examination will take place.

After a post-mortem

• The coroner will release the body for a funeral once they have completed the post-mortem examinations and no further examinations are needed.

• If the body is released with no inquest, the coroner will send a form (‘Pink Form - form 100B’) to the registrar stating the cause of death.

• The coroner will also send a ‘Certificate of Coroner - form Cremation 6’ if the body is to be cremated.

3. If the coroner holds an inquest

A coroner must hold an inquest if:

• the cause of death is still unknown

• the person might have died a violent or unnatural death

• the person might have died in prison or police custody

4. Death Certificates

If you need proof of the death while you wait for the inquest to finish, ask the coroner for an interim death certificate.

Once the inquest is over, you can get the final death certificate from the registrar.

You can use either certificate to:

• apply for probate

• report the death to more than one government organisation using Tell Us Once - the registrar can help you to do this

1. If the person who died has a funeral plan

• Call the number on their policy documents.

• The company will then arrange to collect them and take them into their care.

2. If the person who died did not have a funeral plan

• You will need to choose someone to provide the funeral.

• For instance you can call Direct Cremation Essex if you need to arrange a funeral. You can call us on 01277 713313. If the collection is urgent we can usually be there in just a few hours.

3. Paperwork

• You will be sent the application for cremation (known as the “Crem 1 Form”). You will need to check, complete and return these.

• If the registrar hasn’t done so, you will need to send us the “green form”

4. Payment

• Payment needs to be received by us 48 hours before the planned cremation date.

• Should the deceased’s estate be paying for the funeral showing a copy of Direct Cremations Essex’s invoice and the death certificate to the relevant bank will release the appropriate funds.

1. You may want to tell friends and family of the deceased about their death.

This can be done individually, through obituaries and through online services.

2. See is the person made a “record of wishes”.

This may tell you what they wanted to happen after their death, such as what kind of funeral or send-off then may have wanted.

1. Recognise that you are going through one of the most challenging experiences that any of can face.

2. Family and friends can be a great comfort when someone dies.

3. Consider grief counselling through local services, Cruse Bereavement Support or The Samaritans

If there is anything you would like to know that you cannot find here, just get in touch and we will help in anyway we can.