You must register a death within five days of its happening unless a Coroner is investigating the circumstances under which the death occurred.
Click on the below links for further information on each subject:
Where to register a death
Who can register a death
If a death is being investigated by a Coroner
Information required to register a death
Documents including Death Certificate
Funerals abroad, or if the deceased died abroad
Registering still birth
Costs
Register Offices
Where to register a death
When someone dies, the death must be registered with the Registrar in the registration district it took place. If it is not possible for you to get to this Registrar, you can go to any Register Office in England or Wales and they will note the information required to register the death and send it to the Registrar in the district where the death occured. If you register the death by this means, it will result in a delay in receiving the paperwork you need for the funeral, but this is usually only a few days.
Before the Registrar can take the details from you he will need to see the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from a doctor or the Coroner, and if there any complications the Registrar may not be able to take the information straight away.
Norfolk Register Offices operate an appointment system. if you wish to attend an office elsewhere, check with them about their arrangements.
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Who can register a death
People who can legally register a death:
- A relative or other person present at the death
- A relative present during the last illness
- A relative living in the registration district
- A resident of the premises where the death occurred
- A person organising the funeral (not the undertaker)
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If a death is being investigated by a Coroner
A small number of deaths in certain circumstances have to be reported to the Coroner before they can be registered and the paperwork allowing the funeral to take place released. If the death has not already been reported to the Coroner, the Registrar must do so when it comes to their attention.
The circumstances under which a death must be reported to the Coroner are:
- where there is no doctor who can issue a medical certificate of death
- where the deceased was not attended by a medical practitioner during their last illness, or if they were, were not seen within 14 days before their death.
- where the cause of death is unknown
- where the Registrar has reason to believe that the death was unnatural or suspicious
- where the death occured during an operation or before recovery from an anaesthetic
- where the death appears to have been caused due to industrial disease or poisoning
Once the death has been reported to the Coroner the Registrar cannot go ahead with the registration until the Coroner has decided whether further investigation is needed. In the vast majority of cases there is no need for this, and the registration can continue straight away. if the registration is delayed, wait to hear from the Coroner's office before going to see the Registrar to register the death.
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Information required to register a death
In order for the death to be registered the Registrar will need you to provide the following information:
- the medical certificate of death issued by the doctor attending the deceased - this is essential as the Registrar can do nothing without it.
- the date and place of death
- the full name and surname of the deceased
- any maiden name if the deceased is a married woman
- the occupation and address of the deceased
- if the deceased was a married woman or widow the name and occupation of her husband
- date and place of birth of the deceased
- your full name and address
- whether the deceased was receiving a pension or other allowance from public funds
- if available, the deceased's medical card with their National Health Service number on it.
The Registrar will enter this information into a register and you will be asked to check the details are correct. Do this carefully as the details are very difficult to change at a later date.
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Documents including Death Certificate
When the registration is complete you will receive the following documents from the Registrar:
- a green form for the funeral director which will allow you to make funeral arrangements
- a form for Social Security purposes which will sort out any benefits the deceased or their dependents were receiving at the time of death
The above two forms are free of charge, and you can, if you wish, purchase certified copies of the register (Death Certificates). You may need several copies if you are dealing with the deceased's estate, as organisations such as banks, insurance companies, stock and shares etc. may require a copy. if you do not purchase enough copies at the time of registration, you can buy further copies at a later date, but these may cost more.
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Funerals abroad, or if the deceased died abroad
If you want to bury or cremate a body abroad 4 clear days notice must be given to the Coroner in whose jurisdiction the body is lying. The Coroner or Registrar will provide you with a Form 104 for completion for this purpose. Your funeral director, Registrar or Coroner can advise you further about this.
If the person dies outside England or Wales a Certificate of No Liability to Register will be issued by the Registrar in the sub-district where it is intended to bury or cremate the body. Your funeral director will be able to tell you more about this.
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Registering a still birth
A child can be registered as officially still born if it was born after the 24th week of pregnancy and did not breathe or show any other sign of life after being born. You will need to provide a certificate in the prescribed form signed by a qualified medical practitioner or midwife who attended the still birth or examined the body, or if neither of these attended the still birth or examined the body, a declaration in the prescribed form completed by the informant. Speak to your doctor, midwife or registrar about this.
The following people can register a still birth:
- the mother
- the father, if he was married to the mother at the time of the still birth
- the occupier of the house or institution in which the still birth occurred
- a person present at the still birth
- the person in charge of the still born child
- the person who found a still born child
Unless the father was married to the mother at the time of the still birth his details can only be entered onto the regsiter in the follwoing circumstances:
- where the father and mother attend the Register Office together and sign the register
- where the father makes a statutory declaration acknowledging his paternity and this is provided to the Registrar by the mother
- where the mother is unable to attend the Register Office, she can complete a statutory declaration, which the father must produce to the Registrar.
A certificate of registration on the Still Births Register is available from the Registrar, and if the body is to be buried or cremated the relevant certificate will be issued to allow you to make funeral arrangements.
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Costs
There are normally no charges for the documents relating to a still birth.
Registration of a death, including the documents enabling you to arrange the funeral and the Social Security form are free of charge. If you want a copy or copies of the register entry a fee is payable, your Registrar can tell you about this.
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Register Offices
East Dereham
Breckland Business Centre
St Withburga Lane
DEREHAM
Norfolk
NR19 1FD
By appointment
Tel: 01362 697118
Thetford
King's House
King Street
THETFORD
Norfolk
IP24 2AP
By appointment
Tel: 01842 754115
Swaffham (limited hours)
Town Hall
SWAFFHAM
By appointment
Tel: 01842 754115
Watton (limited hours)
Wayland Hall
WATTON
By appointment
Tel: 01842 754115
You can also visit the following website for more information about registering a death:
Norfolk County Council - register a death
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