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Registering a Death,
when and where to Register |
On this Page |
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You must register a death within 5 days unless a Coroner is conducting an investigation into the circumstances.
A death must be registered in the registration district where it occurred.
If it will be difficult for you to travel to the right register office to register the death, you can go to a registrar in a more convenient place in England or Wales. They will note the information needed to register the death and send it to the registrar in the right district for you. Before the registrar can take any information from you, the registrar must see the medical certificate issued by the doctor, or by a Coroner, if there has been a post mortem.
If there are any problems, the registrar may not be able to take the information straight away. If you see a registrar outside the area where your relative died, he will not register the death. He will not be able to give you the certificate for the funeral director nor any other certificates. These will be posted to you a few days later by the registrar in the district where your relative died, who has registered the death. This may cause delays for you in organising the funeral.
Before you go to a register office outside the area where the death took place, it would be a good idea to tell the following people: the funeral director, who is arranging the burial or cremation and the registrar for the district where the death took place, who will have to register the death.
Who May Register?
People who can legally register a death include, in order of preference:
- A relative present at the death
- A relative present during the last illness
- A relative living in the registration district.
- A person present at the death.
- The occupier of the premises, if aware of the death happening.
- The person arranging the funeral (not the undertaker).
Others may be qualified in specific circumstances. Consult a registrar for details.
Meeting the Registrar
You will be seen in private and asked questions about the person who has died. The registrar will enter the details onto a computer. You will be asked to check the information on the register page carefully and sign that it is correct.
Information Needed
You will be asked for the following information:
- The date and place of death.
- The full names and surname of the person who has died.
- Any maiden surname, if applicable.
- The date and place of birth of the person who has died.
- The occupation and address of the person who has died.
- If the person who has died was married, the full names and occupation of their spouse or late spouse.
- Your name and address.
- If the person who has died was still married, the date of birth of their surviving spouse.
Documents Needed
You will be asked for a medical certificate of the cause of death from the doctor and/or notification from the Coroner. You will find it useful to have the deceased's birth certificate with you. If available, information on any pension or allowance received by the deceased from public funds should be given to the registrar. The NHS Medical Card for the person who has died should be given to the Registrar if possible. If the deceased held a Disabled Person's Parking Badge (Blue Badge), please bring that with you to the registration.
Documents Given
The registrar will give you an authority which allows you to make arrangements for the burial or cremation. You will also receive a certificate for Social Security purposes. If the death has been referred to a Coroner, different procedures may apply. Certified Copies of the Death Entry (Death Certificate) are often needed when dealing with the estate of the person who has died and can be purchased from the registrar. You may need certified copies for the following purposes, among others:
- Probate or Letters of Administration.
- Bank and building society accounts.
- Life insurance policies covering the deceased.
- Dealing with stocks and shares owned by the deceased.
- Applying for a tax rebate.
Cost
Registration of a death, including the document to enable you to arrange the burial or cremation is free of charge. However, if you want certified copies of the register entry a fee is payable. Fees are set by Parliament and reviewed regularly. The current fee is £3.50 at the time of registration. After the registration, certificates will cost £7 each for a period of 4-6 weeks. After a period of 4-6 weeks, certificates will cost £9 each.
Useful numbers
Frenchay Hospital 0117 950 5050
B.R.I Bristol Royal Infirmary 0117 923 0000
Southmead Hospital 0117 950 5050
Bristol Register Office 0117 922 2800
The Old Council House, Corn Street, Bristol BS1 1JG
Telephone for appointment 8:30am - 8pm Monday - Friday
Opening times / Appointments 9am - 4pm Monday/Tuesday/Thursday /Friday
All by appointment only 10am - 4pm Wednesday (evening appointments 5 - 7:30pm)
9:45am - 11.15am Saturday
You can also register at
Southmead Hospital (Branch Office), Monks Park Lodge, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB
Telephone for an appointment: 8.30am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. 0117 922 2800
9am - 3:30pm Monday - Friday By Appointment only
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