Death Registration FAQs

- How do I register a death?
- Who can register a death?
- How long is the appointment?
- How long do I have to register a death?
- How do I register a death that occurred outside of Hackney?
- How do I order additional copies of a death certificate?
- What other paperwork will I be given as well as a death certificate?
- Why is the coroner sometimes involved?
- How do I take a body overseas?
- I wish to take the body out of the country. Do I need any further documents from the Register Office?
- How can I apply for a grant or loan to cover the funeral costs?
- How can I amend or change a detail on a death certificate?

How do I register a death?

A death must be registered in the borough where the death occurred.

If the death occurred in Hackney, please call Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 to make a death registration appointment.

You need to bring the following to the appointment

Medical certificate of cause of death usually issued by a doctor
The deceased’s NHS medical card

At the appointment you will also need to provide

Date and place of death
Name and surname of the deceased
Maiden name, if the deceased was a married woman
Occupation of the deceased
Husband’s name and occupation, if the deceased was a married woman or widow
Address of the deceased
Declaration of pension or allowance from public funds
Date of birth of a surviving widow or widower

Registering a death can be an emotional time. You will not be asked about the cause of death, as the registrar will take this information from the doctor’s medical certificate. Before signing the register make sure you check all the information carefully as it can be difficult to correct mistakes.

A death certificate can be issued at the appointment with the other documents you will be given. Additional certificates for the deceased’s probate and legal requirements can also be bought.

Death certificates cost £3.50 when you register the death or you can order certificates at a later date for £7.00.

If the coroner is involved, a death cannot be registered until any investigation is complete and the medical certificate of cause of death can be issued.

Who can register a death?

When the death occurred in at home, in a hospice or hospital, the death register can be signed by any of the following people:

A relative of the deceased
Someone present at the death or in attendance when the deceased was ill although not physically present at the death
Staff from the hospice or hospital if they knew of the death, including the bereavement officer
Another person living at the house if he or she knew of the death
The person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

If the death occurred elsewhere the death register can be signed by any of the following people:

A relative of the deceased
Some present at the death
Someone who found the body
Someone in charge of the body
The person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

How long is the appointment?

It takes about 30 minutes to register a death.

How long do I have to register a death?

You should register a death within five days.

However, under some circumstances a death may be registered up to 12 months from the date of death.

If the coroner is involved a death cannot be registered until any investigation is complete and the medical certificate of cause of death can be issued.

How do I register a death that occurred outside of Hackney?

A death must be registered in the borough where the death occurred. However, Hackney Register Office can liaise with the borough where the death occurred on your behalf. This is called making a declaration.

Please call Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 to make a declaration appointment to register the death.

You will need to bring:

Medical certificate of cause of death usually issued by a doctor
The deceased’s NHS medical card

At the appointment you will also need to provide:

Date and place of death
Name and surname of the deceased
Maiden name, if the deceased was a married woman
Occupation of the deceased
Husband’s name and occupation, if the deceased was a married woman or widow
Address of the deceased
Declaration of pension or allowance from public funds
Date of birth of a surviving widow or widower

If the coroner is involved, a death cannot be registered until any investigation is complete and the medical certificate of cause of death can be issued.

Hackney Register Office will forward all the details and the medical cause of death certificate on your behalf to the district where the death occurred.

The death certificate and additional documents will be issued by register office where the death occurred. Registering a death this way may mean a slight delay to the funeral, as it is not possible for a burial or cremation to take place until after the local registrar has issued the necessary paperwork.

How do I order additional copies of a death certificate?

You can order copy certificates online or:

Contact Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 or email registrars@hackney.gov.uk.

What other paperwork will I be given as well as a death certificate?

As well as a death certificate (form BD8) the registrar will also issue:

A certificate for burial or cremation (called the 'green form'), – you must give this to a funeral director. They cannot proceed with the funeral without it. In cases where a death has been reported to the coroner, they will usually issue a certificate for burial or cremation so that the funeral can go ahead as soon as possible
A certificate for social security benefits – you must complete this and send to your local benefits office so the Department for Work and Pensions (formerly the Department of Social Security) can sort out what happens to any benefits and state pensions
The registrar will also give you a booklet called 'What to do after a death'. This offers advice on probate and other administrative issues that will need to be done around this time

Why is the coroner sometimes involved?

In some circumstances the coroner will have to investigate the cause of death or a post-mortem carried out before the death can be registered. This can happen where:

there is no doctor who can issue a medical certificate of cause of death
the person was not seen by the doctor issuing the medical certificate after he or she had died, or 14 days before the death
the cause of death is unknown
the cause of death is believed to be unnatural or suspicious
the death happened during an operation or before recovery from an anaesthetic
the death is due to industrial disease or industrial poisoning

The coroner must then decide whether there should be further investigation into the death – and the registrar cannot register the death until the coroner notifies him/her of their decision.

How do I take a body overseas?

There is no restriction on moving a body within England and Wales, but you need to notify the coroner for the district where the body is lying if you want to move a body to Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, or overseas.

To do this you will need a form, which can be provided by a coroner or registrar. The completed form needs to go to the coroner together with certificate for burial or cremation that has already been issued to you by the registrar.

The coroner will acknowledge receiving that notice, and will let you know when the body can be moved - usually four working days from when the notice was received. However in urgent situations, the whole process can usually be fast-tracked.

I wish to take the body out of the country. Do I need any further documents from the Register Office?

It is recommended to purchase extra copies of the death certificate to meet varying overseas registration requirements.

Death certificates cost £3.50 when you register the death or you can order certificates at a later date for £7.00

How can I apply for a grant or loan to cover the funeral costs

When you register the death the register office can give you all the relevant information and forms. All applications must be submitted directly to Social Security services by the relative or person who has signed the death register. See also: www.direct.gov.uk

How can I amend or change a detail on a death certificate?

You cannot amend any of the documents yourself. You should contact Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 or email registrars@hackney.gov.uk immediately if you believe there is an error on the certificate.

Page updated: 15 Jun 2010