Registering a death
Things to read
All deaths in the borough, whether in hospital or at home, must be registered within five days of the death.
Where you can register
Registration is by appointment at the register office. Please book in advance - if you drop in without an appointment, we may not be able to see you immediately.
Documents you need to register a death
To register a death you need to:
- get the medical 'cause of death' certificate from the doctor who last treated the deceased
If the death is passed to the coroner, the cause of death document will be sent direct to the register office. Please contact us before attending your appointment to ensure we have the documentation.
Tell Us Once service
Tell Us Once means we can notify other central government departments on your behalf to deal with cancelling:
- a passport
- a driving licence
- a state pension
- other benefits.
Find out more about the Tell Us Once service.
Who can register a death
A death can be registered by a relative of the deceased or other person qualified by law, such as:
- a person present at the death or
- a hospital administrative officer
- a nursing home administrative officer
- the person instructing the funeral director if nobody else is available
Documents after registration
Once we have registered the death, we will:
- provide you with a document which allows a funeral to take place. This needs to be given to the funeral director.
- issue a document for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to clear up any outstanding pension entitlement and inform the DWP about the benefit entitlement of the surviving spouse or civil partner.
We issue these documents free of charge. But we charge a fee for copies of full death certificates. See the list of fees.
