The first few days after a death: step-by-step guidance
A simple guide to what happens next and the steps that need to be taken in the days ahead.
You can contact us as soon as someone has died. You do not need to wait for the medical examiner or for the death to be registered before speaking with us.
Many people believe they must wait before contacting a funeral director, but this is not the case. We are here to guide you from the very beginning.
What happens next: step by step
- 1.
Contact us at any time, day or night. We will take a few details and assign a dedicated funeral director who will support you throughout the arrangements.
- 2.
A doctor or other appropriate healthcare professional will formally confirm the death and complete the necessary documentation. The timescale will vary depending on the circumstances.
- 3.
The medical examiner reviews the cause of death. They are a senior doctor who was not involved in the person’s care and provide an independent review.
- 4.
The medical examiner’s office will contact you to explain the cause of death, answer any questions and discuss any concerns you may have.
- 5.
Once the medical examiner has completed their review, the necessary documents are sent to the registrar, allowing you to arrange an appointment to register the death.
- 6.
Once the required documents are available, you should register the death within the relevant legal timeframe. The register office will advise you if there are any circumstances that affect this timescale.
- 7.
Following registration, you will receive the green form (Certificate for Burial or Cremation). This document is required before a burial or cremation can take place.
Bringing your loved one into our care
If someone has died in hospital or a care home, we work directly with hospital or care home staff on your behalf. We liaise with the hospital or care home to arrange bringing your loved one into our care as soon as the necessary arrangements have been completed.
If someone has died at home, we will guide you through the steps that need to take place before we can bring your loved one into our care and liaise with the relevant professionals where needed. We will guide you through the process and liaise with the relevant professionals where needed.
Tell Us Once: notifying government departments
The Tell Us Once service allows you to notify most government departments and public services of a death through a single process. The registrar explains it at your appointment and either does it with you or gives you a reference number.
If you are given a reference number to use Tell Us Once yourself, the registrar will explain the deadline for using it. The service does not cover banks, employers, private pension providers or utility companies, so these organisations will still need to be contacted separately.
Related guidance
Registering a death
Where to go, what to take, and how long you have.
Registering a death in SunderlandThe coroner
Why a death may be referred to the coroner, what happens next, and what it could mean for funeral arrangements.
Understanding the coroner’s roleArranging a funeral
What we do at the arrangement meeting, and what you need to decide.
Arranging a funeral with us