Register a death

A death that occurred in the London Borough of Brent, must be registered within 5 days, this includes weekends and bank holidays.

If we have the certificate, you will be asked to book an appointment with the Brent Register Office to register the death and get a death certificate.

Alternatively, you can contact us on 020 8937 1010 to make an appointment. 

Deaths outside of Brent

If the death occurred outside of Brent, contact the Register Office in the borough or county where the person died, and arrange a telephone registration with them directly.

Cancelling an appointment

If you need to cancel an appointment, please call us immediately.

A relative of the person who has died should register the death. 

If there are no relatives, the death can be registered by:

• someone who was there at the time of death
• the person who is arranging the funeral (this could be a friend, legal representative or the funeral director)
• an official from the hospital or care home where the death took place.

If the person registering the death does not speak or understand English, and they need assistance, then they can ask a friend or relative to come with you as an interpreter.

During the appointment, you will need to give the following information to the registrar:

About the person who has died

• the date and place of death
• their full name and any other names they are known by or have been known by (including the maiden name of a woman who has been married)
• their date and place of birth
• their last occupation (prior to retirement, if applicable) 
• the full name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner (if applicable)
• their usual address
• date of birth of surviving spouse or civil partner

About you

• your relationship to the deceased
• your full name
• your usual address

Supporting documents

Please have the following documents, for the deceased, nearby during your telephone appointment. This will help the Registrar and ensure there are no delays in the process:

• passport
• proof of address
• birth certificate
• all marriage or civil partnership certificates
• change of name deed

Additionally, we may ask for details of the following documents for the person registering the death:

• ID such as passport or driving licence
• proof of address, e.g. utility bill

Once the information has been recorded in the death register, we will issue a certificate for burial or cremation, known as the green form. This can be given to you or sent electronically to the funeral director, crematorium or cemetery office you have chosen.

Death certificate costs £12.50 each and can be ordered online.

You may need certified copies of the death entry for various legal processes (dealing with the will, probate, bank accounts, insurance, and so on). You may order as many copies as you require on the day and can also order additional copies at a later date. We recommend 5-7 copies.

Out of hours Emergency Burial Certificate Service

An on-call service is available at weekends and bank holidays if you need to arrange a funeral that needs to take place within 24 hours only. 

You will need to call between 9am and 11am to arrange for the green form to be issued.

The on-call registrar will issue the burial certificate if:

• you can provide confirmation that the burial is to take place within 24 hours
• we have received a correctly completed medical certificate of cause of death or stillbirth from the doctor
• the death or stillbirth does not have to be referred to the coroner

Corrections

You cannot change a death certificate once it has been issued. However, if the information is wrong (for example a mistake in spelling a person’s name), you can apply to get a note added to the bottom of the original entry in the death register. The error will still remain on the certificate. 

View further information about correcting a death registration.

If a person dies while they are abroad, you must register the death with the local authorities in the country where the person died.

For further information on what to do after someone dies abroad, please visit GOV.UK.

Tell Us Once service

We can provide the Tell Us Once service for a death abroad. You will need to provide the death certificate from the country where the death happened and the full address of the person in England and Wales. Email: reg@brent.gov.uk to request this service.

Losing a baby is devastating and we understand that this is an incredibly difficult time for you and your family. Our registration staff are here to help you register the stillbirth and advise on other things you will need to consider.

For all stillbirth enquiries please call us on 020 8937 1010.

When to register a stillbirth

By law, you are required to register a stillbirth within 42 days of the birth, unless it has been referred to a coroner. 

If more than 42 days have passed, then you can speak to us for advice.

Issuing a medical certificate of stillbirth

When a child is stillborn, the doctor or midwife will issue a medical certificate of stillbirth which will be sent electronically to the Registration Service for the district in which the stillbirth took place.

How to register a stillbirth

To register a still birth, call the Register Office on 020 8937 1010. Once you have booked your appointment, the registrar will call you on the telephone number provided at your scheduled appointment time.

Every stillbirth in England or Wales must be registered in the district in which it takes place. If the death occurred outside of Brent, contact the local registration service to arrange a telephone registration with them directly.

For information about  who can register a stillbirth, please visit GOV.UK.

Fees

It is free to register a stillbirth.

You can buy certificates at your appointment, these cost £12.50 each.

Bereavement services

For advice, guidance and support you can contact the following organisations:

• SANDS
• Tommy’s
• Child bereavement UK