When someone dies you will need to register the death at the local register office within 5 days (or 8 days in Scotland) unless you are awaiting a coroner’s report. Click here to find your local register office.
However, before you do so, you will need a medical certificate confirming the cause of death. This certificate can be obtained from the GP, an out of hours doctor, paramedic, specially trained nurse, the Matron of a care home, or the coroner.
When the death has been registered, you’ll either get a ‘certificate for burial’ or an application for cremation. This needs to passed onto your funeral director before the funeral can take place.
Read our guide ‘What to do when somebody dies‘
