When Someone Dies What Should You Do?

When Someone Dies

During a most difficult time, it can be overwhelming to understand the necessary steps to be taken following a bereavement. In these pages we have outlined where to begin and listed the practical considerations. We offer you full support and guidance throughout this process and are available to answer your questions at any time.

Registering a Death

The law requires a death to be registered within 5 calendar days.  This includes weekends and bank holidays and applies to all deaths with no coroner involvement.

The following can register the death.

In order of preference:

• a relative of the deceased, present at the death
• a relative of the deceased, in attendance during the last illness
• a relative of the deceased, living or being in the area where the death occurred

If there is no known relative who is able to register:

• a person present at the death
• the occupier of the house or institution where the death took place
• any inmate of the house if they knew of the occurrence of the death
• the person who is arranging the funeral (this does not mean the Funeral Director)

Additional information needed to register the death about the informant:

• informant’s forename(s) and surname
• their current address
• informant’s relationship to the deceased

It may be necessary to arrange an appointment with the Registrar, this is done by contacting the Registrar in the area in which the person died.  The registrar appointments are currently conducted over the phone.

What does the registrar need to know?

The Registrar will require the Medical Certificate o Cause of Death obtainable from the local GP if the death occurs at home or the hospital or Hospice if death occurs away from the family home, and the following information about the deceased:

About the deceased

• full name and surname of the deceased or the Maiden name in the case of an unmarried woman or widow
• the date and place of death
• date and place of birth of the deceased
• occupation of the deceased and in the case of a woman who is married or widowed, the full name and occupation of her husband
• the usual address of the deceased
• if the deceased was still married, the date of birth of their spouse
• whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or benefits from public funds
• in the case of a child, the father and mother’s full names and occupations and the child’s full address

• NHS Number

Here is a document that we have prepared to assist you with the above. CLICK HERE

If the Coroner has been involved, the registration process may vary but we will advise you accordingly.

Stillbirth

A stillbirth normally needs to be registered within 42 days, and at the latest within three months. In many cases this can be done at the hospital or at the local registery office.

The registrar will then issue:

• A Certificate of Registration of Death
• A Green Certificate for Burial or Cremation which will be required by us prior to the funeral taking place
• Certified copies of the entry of death can be obtained for a small charge – you may require these for legal or financial purposes

Please telephone the registrar for an appointment in the county where the death has occurred.

Opening times 9.30am to 12 noon and 2pm to 4pm

Llangefni Office – Isle of Anglesey County Council, Register Office, Anglesey Business Centre, Bryn Cefni Business Park Llangefni LL77 7XA.  01248 751925 / Open: Monday – Friday 9.30 – 4pm.

Holyhead Office – To book an appointment to register in the J.E.O’Toole Centre Holyhead please contact the Llangefni Office on 01248 751925.
Opening hours:  Wednesday: 9:30am. – 4pm (J.E. O’Toole Centre)

Gwynedd – Siop Gwynedd Caernarfon, Gwynedd Council’s Headquarters, Castle Street, Caernarfon, LL55 1SE, Tel – 01766771000

Ysbyty Glan Clwyd at Morfa Clwyd, Marsh Rd, Rhyl, LL18 2AF. Tel- 01745366610

Registrar Office Llandudno, Town Hall, Lloyd Street, Llandudno LL30 2UP Tel- 01492576525

Tell Us Once

The HM Government Tell Us Once service allows you to report a death to most council and government departments in one go after death has been registered.

Telling Others

We offer full support and assistance should you wish to pass on the news of a death by placing a message in the newspapers, along with an account of the person’s life and details of the funeral. The message can also be printed and posted to those in the deceased’s address book and published in an online obituary.

When you speak to us, we can advise you on all of this and will be happy to help you arrange the placement of a message of thanks in the newspaper following the service to thank those who attended and for the donations or flowers received.