OUR HELPFUL GUIDE
For most people the death of a relative or close friend is a traumatic experience. They feel intense emotions and even the most organised people often feel confused and a little helpless.
Our purpose is to offer professional advice and guidance to assist you in making funeral arrangements. We are here to bear the load of organising most of the details for the funeral service and ensuring that everything runs smoothly, in accordance with your wishes.
Depending upon the location of where a death occurs will determine what steps need to be taken.
Hospital: When a death occurs in a hospital, the hospital staff will arrange for the death to be certified by a doctor. The doctor will also issue a Medical Certificate of Death. If the person who has died is to be cremated, then the hospital will normally arrange for the completion of the statutory cremation forms which need to be completed by two doctors. There is a fee for this service, payable to the doctors/hospital, which we will add onto our funeral account as a disbursement (payment made to a third party on your behalf). If the person who has died is to be buried, there are no additional forms required by the doctors other than the Medical Certificate of Death.
You will need to collect the Medical Certificate of Death from the hospital, along with any personal belongings of the deceased. Please note that you will need the Medical Certificate of Death in order to register the death (see How To Register a Death).
Nursing Home / Hospice / Residential Care Home: When a death occurs in a nursing home, hospice or residential care home, the nursing home staff will arrange for the death to be certified by a doctor. The doctor will also issue a Medical Certificate of Death.
Once this has taken place, the funeral director can be called to transfer the deceased from the nursing home to the funeral director's premises. The transfer can take place at any time of the day or night. If the person who has died is to be cremated, then the funeral director will normally arrange for the completion of the statutory cremation forms which need to be completed by two doctors. There is a fee for this service, payable to the doctors, which we will add onto our funeral account as a disbursement (payment made to a third party on your behalf). If the person who has died is to be buried, there are no additional forms required by the doctors other than the Medical Certificate of Death.
You will need to collect the Medical Certificate of Death from the nursing home or hospice, along with any personal belongings of the deceased. Please note that you will need the Medical Certificate of Death in order to register the death (see How To Register a Death).
Private Residence: When a death occurs at home, and the death is expected, the deceased's GP must be contacted in order for the death to be certified by a doctor. A doctor will normally attend at home to examine the deceased and certify the death. The doctor will normally issue a Medical Certificate of Death.
Once the doctor has seen the deceased and certified the death, the funeral director can be called to transfer the deceased from the residence to the funeral director's premises. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to bring the deceased into our care from the residence. If the person who has died is to be cremated, then the funeral director will normally arrange for the completion of the statutory cremation forms which need to be completed by two doctors. There is a fee for this service, payable to the doctors, which we will add onto our funeral account as a disbursement (payment made to a third party on your behalf). If the person who has died is to be buried, there are no additional forms required by the doctors other than the Medical Certificate of Death.
If the doctor doesn't complete and leave the Medical Certificate of Death with you when they attend at home, then you will need to collect it from the GP's surgery. Please note that you will need the Medical Certificate of Death in order to register the death (see How To Register a Death).
How to register a death: Is the death in the hands of HM Coroner? When a death occurs it is necessary for a Doctor to attend the deceased to 'certify' the death. In some circumstances, for example if the death was sudden or unexpected or as the result of an accident, the Doctor may not be able to issue a 'cause of death certificate'. On such occasions he will need to contact the Coroner whose duty it is to ascertain the cause of death and to investigate any unusual circumstances which may require a post mortem examination. You should be told by the Doctor if this is to take place and the Coroner's officer should contact you in due course to discuss his findings.
Can the death be registered? If the deceased's Doctor is able to issue a 'cause of death' certificate, the death should be registered as soon as possible. The Doctor or your Funeral Director can advise you of where the Registrars Office is located. The Registrar will exchange the cause of death certificate for a 'green' certificate for burial or cremation which should be handed to your funeral director. If the death is in the hands of the Coroner, registration cannot take place until the cause of death has been fully ascertained. If the death was due to natural causes, the Coroner's officer will usually send all relevant documentation directly to the Registrar within a few days. He/She will then advise you when an appointment can be made for you to go and register the death in the normal way although the 'green' certificate will only be issued in the case of burial. If a cremation is selected the relevant document will be issued directly by the Coroner to the funeral director. If the death is not due to natural causes the Coroner will hold an Inquest to determine the time, place and cause of death. Registration cannot take place until after the Inquest, which may be opened and adjourned until a later date but, except in unusual or suspicious deaths, this should not hold up the funeral as the funeral director can be issued with special documentation to allow the funeral to proceed.
The Registrar will ask for the full name, age, address, occupation and marital status of the deceased together with their date and place of birth. You may find it helpful to take any relevant certificates ie birth, marriage and medical card etc with you. You will also need to give details of any state pensions or benefits the deceased was receiving at the time of their death. Finally, most banks, building societies, insurance companies and solicitors will require certified copies of the entry made in the Register of Deaths. These can be purchased at the same time as registration takes place for a small fee.
OUR HELPFUL LINKS
Elburton Methodist Church CLICK HERE
Bereavement Counselling CLICK HERE
“Assuring you of our best attention at all times”
Our purpose is to offer professional advice and guidance to assist you in making funeral arrangements. We are here to bear the load of organising most of the details for the funeral service and ensuring that everything runs smoothly, in accordance with your wishes.
Depending upon the location of where a death occurs will determine what steps need to be taken.
Hospital: When a death occurs in a hospital, the hospital staff will arrange for the death to be certified by a doctor. The doctor will also issue a Medical Certificate of Death. If the person who has died is to be cremated, then the hospital will normally arrange for the completion of the statutory cremation forms which need to be completed by two doctors. There is a fee for this service, payable to the doctors/hospital, which we will add onto our funeral account as a disbursement (payment made to a third party on your behalf). If the person who has died is to be buried, there are no additional forms required by the doctors other than the Medical Certificate of Death.
You will need to collect the Medical Certificate of Death from the hospital, along with any personal belongings of the deceased. Please note that you will need the Medical Certificate of Death in order to register the death (see How To Register a Death).
Nursing Home / Hospice / Residential Care Home: When a death occurs in a nursing home, hospice or residential care home, the nursing home staff will arrange for the death to be certified by a doctor. The doctor will also issue a Medical Certificate of Death.
Once this has taken place, the funeral director can be called to transfer the deceased from the nursing home to the funeral director's premises. The transfer can take place at any time of the day or night. If the person who has died is to be cremated, then the funeral director will normally arrange for the completion of the statutory cremation forms which need to be completed by two doctors. There is a fee for this service, payable to the doctors, which we will add onto our funeral account as a disbursement (payment made to a third party on your behalf). If the person who has died is to be buried, there are no additional forms required by the doctors other than the Medical Certificate of Death.
You will need to collect the Medical Certificate of Death from the nursing home or hospice, along with any personal belongings of the deceased. Please note that you will need the Medical Certificate of Death in order to register the death (see How To Register a Death).
Private Residence: When a death occurs at home, and the death is expected, the deceased's GP must be contacted in order for the death to be certified by a doctor. A doctor will normally attend at home to examine the deceased and certify the death. The doctor will normally issue a Medical Certificate of Death.
Once the doctor has seen the deceased and certified the death, the funeral director can be called to transfer the deceased from the residence to the funeral director's premises. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to bring the deceased into our care from the residence. If the person who has died is to be cremated, then the funeral director will normally arrange for the completion of the statutory cremation forms which need to be completed by two doctors. There is a fee for this service, payable to the doctors, which we will add onto our funeral account as a disbursement (payment made to a third party on your behalf). If the person who has died is to be buried, there are no additional forms required by the doctors other than the Medical Certificate of Death.
If the doctor doesn't complete and leave the Medical Certificate of Death with you when they attend at home, then you will need to collect it from the GP's surgery. Please note that you will need the Medical Certificate of Death in order to register the death (see How To Register a Death).
How to register a death: Is the death in the hands of HM Coroner? When a death occurs it is necessary for a Doctor to attend the deceased to 'certify' the death. In some circumstances, for example if the death was sudden or unexpected or as the result of an accident, the Doctor may not be able to issue a 'cause of death certificate'. On such occasions he will need to contact the Coroner whose duty it is to ascertain the cause of death and to investigate any unusual circumstances which may require a post mortem examination. You should be told by the Doctor if this is to take place and the Coroner's officer should contact you in due course to discuss his findings.
Can the death be registered? If the deceased's Doctor is able to issue a 'cause of death' certificate, the death should be registered as soon as possible. The Doctor or your Funeral Director can advise you of where the Registrars Office is located. The Registrar will exchange the cause of death certificate for a 'green' certificate for burial or cremation which should be handed to your funeral director. If the death is in the hands of the Coroner, registration cannot take place until the cause of death has been fully ascertained. If the death was due to natural causes, the Coroner's officer will usually send all relevant documentation directly to the Registrar within a few days. He/She will then advise you when an appointment can be made for you to go and register the death in the normal way although the 'green' certificate will only be issued in the case of burial. If a cremation is selected the relevant document will be issued directly by the Coroner to the funeral director. If the death is not due to natural causes the Coroner will hold an Inquest to determine the time, place and cause of death. Registration cannot take place until after the Inquest, which may be opened and adjourned until a later date but, except in unusual or suspicious deaths, this should not hold up the funeral as the funeral director can be issued with special documentation to allow the funeral to proceed.
The Registrar will ask for the full name, age, address, occupation and marital status of the deceased together with their date and place of birth. You may find it helpful to take any relevant certificates ie birth, marriage and medical card etc with you. You will also need to give details of any state pensions or benefits the deceased was receiving at the time of their death. Finally, most banks, building societies, insurance companies and solicitors will require certified copies of the entry made in the Register of Deaths. These can be purchased at the same time as registration takes place for a small fee.
OUR HELPFUL LINKS
Elburton Methodist Church CLICK HERE
Bereavement Counselling CLICK HERE
“Assuring you of our best attention at all times”