Register a death
We appreciate registering a death is a difficult thing to do, and we are here to help make the process as simple as possible.
Changes to registration of deaths
New death certification reforms require an independent review to be carried out for all deaths in England and Wales, without exception. This will either be provided by independent scrutiny by a medical examiner or by investigation by a coroner.
From 9 September 2024, a new Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) will replace the existing certificate to reflect the introduction of medical examiners, who will scrutinise the proposed cause of death.
Once the relevant attending practitioner and the medical examiner have completed their declarations of certification and scrutiny, and the cause of death is confirmed, the MCCD will be sent to the registrar by the medical examiner rather than the attending practitioner. We will then contact the representative of the deceased as provided by the medical examiner’s office to arrange the registration of the death.
Who can register a death?
Most deaths occur in a house, a hospital or a residential or nursing home. The law states that, in order of preference, a death may be registered by:
- a relative (including the partner of the deceased from 9 September 2024)
- a person present at the death
- the occupier of the house or institution where the death took place
- the person who is instructing the funeral director or a representative of the deceased (from 9 September 2024)
The process of registering a death
In normal circumstances you should arrange to register the death within five days of a fully completed MCCD being received by the registrar. We will contact the person provided to us by the medical examiner’s office upon receipt of the MCCD.
This does not apply when the coroner is involved.
The registration takes about 30 minutes if all the necessary information about the deceased is available. This will include:
- Date and place of death
- Name, address, date of birth and place of birth
- Maiden name, in the case of a woman who has been married or formed a civil partnership
- Occupation, and the name and occupation of their husband/wife/civil partner
- If the deceased was still married or in a civil partnership, the date of birth of their spouse
- The medical card or NHS number, if readily available
- Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or benefits.
On completing the registration, the registrar will give you the form for you to take to your funeral director, which gives permission for burial or cremation. From 9th September 2024, this will include Form 9 Part D containing information on medical devices which must also be given to your funeral director.
You will also be able to buy death certificates, which will be required for dealing with the deceased’s estate. These cost £12.50 each, we only accept payment by credit/debit card.
On weekends and bank holidays (except Christmas day and new years’ day), a registrar is on duty 10am to 12pm to issue paperwork for any urgent burials to take place. The registrar will contact the individual whose details were provided by the medical examiner’s office.
What will I need to bring to the appointment?
We recommend you bring all the following documents of the deceased to your appointment. Don't worry, if you cannot provide the following, we will still be able to process the registration. However, any errors will incur a fee and could delay the funeral.
- a passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- marriage certificate if applicable
- a document with an NHS number (prescription/doctors letter)
- credit/debit card to purchase death certificates
On the day of your appointment
- Your appointments will be at the Town Hall.
- Only the person who booked the appointment will be allowed to attend.
- We recommend you wear a face covering whilst in the building. If you are unable to attend, call us to rebook.
- If you are more than 10 minutes late, we may not be able to see you that same day and will have to rebook you for another.
Coroners
From 9 September 2024, the responsibilities of the registrar will change as there will be no requirement for registrars to refer deaths to the coroner. The attending practitioner or the medical examiner will determine which deaths need to be referred to the coroner.
Provisional funeral arrangements only should be made until the paperwork needed for the funeral has been issued by either the registrar or the coroner.
A death may be referred to the coroner for a number of reasons:
- The death was unexpected, and the doctor is unsure of the precise cause of death
- There is no attending practitioner able to complete the MCCD
- The coroner feels that for legal reasons the circumstances of the death requires further investigation, for example following an accident.
Once a death has been reported to the coroner one of three things will happen. The coroner may decide:
- no action is necessary therefore a doctor can issue the cause of death certificate and the death can be registered
- to investigate. When this happens there will be a delay while the cause of death is established. During this time the death cannot be registered
- to hold an inquest. The death cannot be registered until the inquest is completed. Prior to the inquest the coroner may release the body to allow the funeral to take place. The coroner may also issue an interim death certificate which is accepted by some organisations.
The coroner’s address is H.M Coroner, Town Hall, Leicester LE1 9BG. The contact number is 0116 454 1030.
Telling other services about a death
When someone has died, there are lots of things that need to be done, at a time when you probably least feel like doing them. One of these is contacting government departments and local council services.
When you register the death the registrar will give you a 'tell us once' service number that you can use on the internet or by phone, to enable various government departments and local council services to be informed at the same time.
Contact us
Write to us: Registration Service, 115 Charles Street, Leicester LE1 1FZ
Ring us on: 0116 454 1000 (Monday to Friday: 9am - 4pm)