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When a loved one dies

We are very sorry for your loss and appreciate this is an incredibly difficult time for you. To help you understand the process we have put together a simple guide of what happens next and what we do to support you while practical arrangements are put in place to ensure those important to you are treated with dignity and respect.

Verifying death

A trained healthcare professional verifies the death by doing certain checks to ensure that death has indeed occurred. If your loved one died at home, these checks will usually be done by the GP.

If a healthcare professional is already with you, they may be able to verify the death. If not, you will need to call our GP practice Reception on 0207 402 4026. We will explain what needs to happen next.

If your loved one dies at home in the evening, at night, at the weekend or on a Bank Holiday, please phone NHS111 to ask for a doctor in the Out of Hours service to attend.

Completing a medical certificate

A doctor will need to certify the death. It will usually be a doctor who saw your loved one recently, but in England and Wales it can be one who has seen them in their lifetime. They will complete a medical certificate of cause of death if the death was expected and they are sure it was from natural causes.

Sometimes a doctor will verify and certify the death at the same time. But if the person who verifies the death is unable to certify it, a doctor will need to complete the medical certificate of cause of death.

Referring to a medical examiner’s office

Medical examiners are senior medical doctors who provide independent scrutiny of the causes of death. They are trained in the legal and clinical elements of death certification processes. The medical examiner’s service was rolled out nationally in September 2024 to all community and GP services. You can find out more here

In England and Wales, the doctor shares the medical certificate of cause of death with a medical examiner for review. The medical examiner’s office will be able to:

  • confirm your loved one’s cause of death
  • discuss the care they received
  • answer your questions, and concerns
  • explain the wording on the death certificate agreed by the GP and medical examiner.

If the cause of death is unknown, the medical examiner will also be able to talk you through the referral process to the coroner (if required).

Following your call with the medical examiner’s office, the medical certificate of cause of death will then be electronically sent to the Registrar in the borough the death was recorded. You will then be able to book an appointment to register the death.

You do not need to visit the GP surgery to collect the medical certificate of cause of death.

Registering the death

A death must be registered within five days.

To register you will need to book an appointment with the registrar in the borough that the death occurred in. The registrar will need the medical certificate of cause of death to do this. More information about registering a death in City of Westminster is available here.

You will need to attend the Registry Office in person to register the death. In preparation for the death registration appointment, please make sure you know the information listed below:

  • date and place of death
  • first name, middle names (if applicable), and surname
  • any other names the deceased was otherwise or previously known by
  • maiden name (if applicable)
  • date and place of birth
  • occupation and whether they were retired
  • address

You might find it helpful to write it down in advance, or have documents such as passport, birth certificate, and marriage certificate (if applicable) on hand.

Arranging the funeral

A funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered.

There are many things to think about and decide when arranging a funeral. Your loved one may have left plans for the funeral they want, or you may need to arrange the funeral yourself. It can be a good idea to ask family and friends for help. Or you may want to pay for the services of a funeral director, who can take you through the whole process step-by-step.

Whilst planning a funeral, it can be useful to consider: 

  • waiting until you have the medical certificate of death certificate and (green certificate from the registrar for burial or cremation) before finalising any arrangements making any arrangements
  • if your loved one has left instructions in their will or a letter about their wishes
  • letting people know about the death and funeral details by organising an obituary in a newspaper or other.

When a loved one dies at a hospice, hospital or care home

Hospices, hospitals and care homes have their own arrangements for verifying and certifying a death. In England and Wales, the doctor who completes the medical certificate of cause of death shares it with the medical examiner (unless they need to report the death to the coroner). The hospital can give you information about registering the death.

A member of hospital staff will offer you advice about contacting a funeral director, although they may not be able to recommend a particular company.

When a loved one dies abroad

There will be a different process to follow if someone has died abroad. You can find out more from GOV.UK  or Citizens Advice .

Arranging repatriation

Anyone wanting to move a deceased person’s body out of England and Wales (including to Scotland) must have authority from a Coroner.  This will normally be the Coroner for the jurisdiction where the person died.  This applies even if the death was completely natural and did not need to be reported to the Coroner before registration.
If you want to repatriate your relative’s body, your funeral director will make the arrangements for you.  They will need to complete a notice to the coroner of the intention to remove a body out of England form and, unless an inquest has been opened, provide a copy of the death certificate.  This means you must register the death before you can arrange repatriation.

Getting bereavement support

The support you get after a bereavement can make a real difference to the grieving process, and how well you are able to adapt to living without the person who has died.

There are many ways to find support, whether you prefer to talk to someone in person, on the phone, or join an online community.

If you need support now, you can call: