How to Register a Death

Registering the death will take about 30 minutes – And you will need to make an appointment to do so.

Who should register the death

A relative should register the death.

If a relative can’t register the death, you can do it if you:

• were there at the time of death
• are an administrator from the hospital (if the person died in hospital)
• are in charge of making funeral arrangements

What you need to do

Take the medical certificate showing the cause of death (signed by a doctor) with you.

If available (but don’t worry if not), also take the person’s:

• birth certificate
• Council Tax bill
• driving licence
• marriage or civil partnership certificate
• NHS medical card
• passport
• proof of address (eg utility bill)

You’ll need to tell the registrar:

• the person’s full name at the time of death
• any names previously used, eg maiden name
• the person’s date and place of birth
• their last address
• their occupation
• the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner
• whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits

You should also take supporting documents that show your name and address (eg a utility bill) but you can still register a death without them.

Documents you’ll get

When you register a death you’ll get:

• a Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the ‘green form’) - gives permission for burial or an application for cremation
• a Certificate of Registration of Death (form BD8) - you may need to fill this out and return it if the person was getting a State Pension or benefits (the form will come with a pre-paid envelope so you know where to send it)

You can buy extra death certificates - these will be needed for sorting out the person’s affairs.