Preparation for notifying a death

A Doctor will need to certify the death, usually one who saw the deceased recently. They do this by completing a medical certificate stating the cause of death.

Attached to the medical certificate will be a notice to informant – which will explain to you how to register a death. We also cover this below.

The key points are:

• A GP can normally verify and certify the death at the same time. If this is not possible then you would need to obtain the cause of death certificate the next day
• If the death was sudden or unexpected, or if the death may have been related to their work then the Doctor would report the death to the coroner. This is to ensure the cause of death is clear and should not be a cause of concern
• The coroner may then either state that no further investigation is required as the cause of death is clear or that they may need to investigate further and a post-mortem may be required. They will keep you updated
• Once the death is certified then you are able to obtain a death certificate

 Introduction

Once the death has been verified and certified you can now register the death currently this should be done within 5 days (8 days in Scotland) – this includes weekends and bank holidays.

This will then provide you with the all important death certificate allowing you to then be able to notify the various companies and government institutions of the death officially. We will cover the UK death notification process and links in the who to notify section here on NowTheAdmin.co.uk

We do advise that, if you are able, that it may be worth obtaining more than one original death certificate.

If you do find you need extra copies of the death certificate later on then these can be ordered from the gov.uk website directly.

Obtaining a number of copies will cost you more but save you stress in the longer term as many companies & institutions will require an original

Registering the death to obtain a death certificate

In the main, deaths should be registered by a member of the family. Where this is not possible then this can be done by the funeral director, the person aranging the funeral, the legal representative or the deceased’s executor. If you are not a family member then please check with the registrars office when arranging the appointment.

You need to do this before a funeral can be arranged. Please follow the gov.uk link to find out how to register a death in the UK or abroad.

For Scotland go to the National Records of Scotland website

The next steps once you have the deceased’s medical certificate stating the cause of death are as follows:

• The registrars will, generally, see you by appointment only.
• You can take this document to obtain a death certificate to the registrars office at the local council where the death occured. For Northern Ireland go to the District Registrars in Northern Ireland website 
• It should be noted that in Northern Ireland and Scotland, the death can be registered in any district or council registration office convenient to you

After the death has been registered you will be given a unique reference number to use the UK government’s Tell Us Once service online or by phone.

Please check in advance with the registrar when arranging the appointment to obtain a death certificate. In the main the following is normally required:

• The deceased’s full name (at the time of their death)
• Details of any other names that the person used (eg a birth or married name)
• their date and place of birth, including the town and county if they were born in the UK
• their last registered or known address
• their occupation or last occupation if now retired
• the full name of their husband, wife or civil partner, if they’ve died before the deceased
• ID of the deceased;
  • National Insurance number
  • NHS medical card or NHS number
  • Passport
  • Proof of address such as the driving licence or a recent utility bill

It is recommended that you obtain a number of original copies of the death certificate as many institutions that you need to notify of a death will require an original only. This will likely save you time and stress during the death notification process

When thinking of arranging the funeral there is a lot to consider and contacting a funeral director is the route most people follow. You can arrange the funeral yourself.

In the first instance, it is worth checking the government website on guidance on what your options are.

Funeral directors will listen to your wishes and put together a suitable package. They will then give you an estimate based on your requirements. The options are vast now and they can be as creative or as minimal as you wish to be.

Some of the key considerations are: 

• Whether you wish to be cremated or buried
• What type of coffin or casket if cremated
• What style of funeral you would like – traditional or alternative taking into account any religious beliefs, if any
• Choice of music, hymns, prayers, flowers and candles
• Would you like a small family funeral and a separate memorial service
• What sort of wake or social get together the family would like to hold

It should be noted that the average funeral costs are close to £4,000, which is a lot more than most people realise. Some funeral directors will be able to offer a lower-cost, simpler funeral arrangement and so it is worth finding one that understands your circumstances and specific requirements.

Do remember to check if the deceased had a pre-paid funeral plan in place as then the costs for a funeral will have been paid for by the deceased. In that instance do ensure that the funeral plan provider used by the funeral director is registered with the Funeral Planning Authority. Around 95% of all new funeral plans that are sold by prepaid funeral plan providers are registered with them.

There are certain circumstances, such as low-income or you claim certain benefits, when you may be eligible for help from the government towards the cost of the funeral. Check the government website for the latest on this.

Funeral director are registered with professional associations, so for peace of mind it’s worth searching with them for a local funeral director. These are:

The Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF)

The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD)

Both websites offer detailed advice and guidance on what you need to consider when arranging the funeral of a loved one that includes such things as:

The role of a funeral director
Preparing ahead
Arranging a funeral
What happens at the funeral
What happens after the funeral

Only certain people can apply for probate to deal with the estate of someone who died. It depends on whether the person who died left a will.

You can apply for probate if you’re named in the will as an executor.

If the person did not leave a will then it’s the administrator who would need to deal with the estate.

You can apply to become the estate’s administrator if you were the deceased’s:

• spouse (husband or wife) – even if you were separated
• civil partner
• child

You would follow the same steps in this circumstance as applying for probate 

You’ll receive ‘letters of administration’ to prove you have the legal right to deal with the estate. Each organisation will have their own rules on what is required and usually this depends on the value of the deceased’s assets or debts they hold.

If you do not want to apply for probate and there are no other named executors, contact your local probate office to find out what to do.

You’ll need the original will and any updates to apply for probate. These must be original documents, not photocopies.

Find out further on the governments website on what to do if you’re an executor

The grant of representation is issued by the probate registry office and is the document confirming your legal authority to administer the estate of the person who’s died. Organisations almost always need an official and sealed version of the grant of representation before they’ll release any assets to you.

You can apply for probate and grant of representation yourself via the government website which has link to apply online or by post.

You can also apply through a legal representative, such as a licensed solicitor. In all circumstances there are fees involved and it is worth obtaining extra copies.

If there’s a Will and you’re named as an executor, you’ll usually be issued a grant of probate.

If there isn’t a Will you’ll need to apply to be the administrator of the estate. In this case, you’ll be issued with letters of administration (or certificate of confirmation, if the deceased lived in Scotland).

Once you have probate you can start dealing with the estate.

In the first instance we recommend following the latest guidance by the government on all tax and legal issues. If you are unsure please seek the guidance of Citizens Advice and/or a professional solicitor or tax advisor. 

We offer you some information here so that you are aware of the potemtial steps and areas to consider and is not definitive as tax rules are subject to changes.

Once you have reported the deceased’s estate’s value of to HMRC they will then calculate whether any inheritance tax is due and how and when this is to be paid.

HMRC will issue you with a reference number regarding the inheritance tax payment.

Once this is paid and all organisations have everything they need, including paying off any debts owed by the deceased, then the executors can access the assets and distribute these to the beneficiaries in accordance to the will left by the deceased.