Once the Doctor or Hospital has issued the Medical Certificate, the Informant must register the death within 5 days at the Registry Office for the sub-district in which the death occurred. If this is not possible the Registrar must be informed in writing. The Medical Certificate and the deceased’s Medical Card (if available) must be given to the Registrar. The person registering the death will be asked for the following information about the deceased:
- The date and place of death
- The full name and usual address (and maiden name if applicable)
- The date and place of birth
- The occupation (and name and occupation of her husband if applicable)
- Details of any pension or allowance from public funds
- The date and place of birth of any surviving spouse
- The full name and usual address of the Informant
- The qualification of the Informant
A Death Certificate can then be obtained on payment of the prescribed fee. This will be needed for obtaining Probate or Letters of Administration, closing bank accounts and making claims on insurance policies. The Registrar will also issue a green Registrar’s Certificate for Burial or Cremation which will be needed by the Funeral Director, and a white Certificate of Registration of Death – Form 344/BD8 – which is for Social Security purposes to cancel the payment of pensions and allowances from public funds. Without a Cause of Death the Registrar cannot allow the death to be registered.
When someone dies, there are many decisions and arrangements which have to be made all of which can be difficult in a time of grief. After registering the death, there is invariably a great deal of paperwork that needs to be organised. Below is a check list to help you through that process.
Documents needed in order to notify benefits/tax credits offices
- Correspondence confirming payment to the deceased of benefits (normally Jobcentre Plus office), tax credits (HM Revenue & Customs) and/or State Pension (Department for Work and Pensions)
- Child Benefit Number (if relevant)
Documents relating to a partner or relative
- Proof of your relationship to the deceased (eg marriage/civil partnership or birth certificate, child’s birth certificate naming both parents)
- Your social security card/National Insurance number if you will be claiming/changing benefits
Documents/information needed by the person attending to the deceased’s affairs
The personal representative/executor is the person formally responsible for sorting out the deceased person’s estate, paying any taxes and debts and distributing the estate. They will need the following documents (where relevant):
Documents needed by the personal representative
- Sealed copies of the grant of representation (probate/letters of administration)
Documents relating to the death
- The will if there is one
- Death certificate (often needed when requesting access to funds; it’s best to order at least two extra certified copies when registering the death)
Savings/investments related
- Bank and building society account statements
- Investment statements/share certificates
- personal or company pension account statements
Insurance:
- Life insurance documents (including mortgage cover)
- General insurance policies (home, car, travel, medical etc)
State pension/benefits
Relevant correspondence or statements from Jobcentre Plus (for benefits) and/or The Pension Service
Amounts owing by the deceased
- Mortgage statement
- Credit card statements
- Utility/ Council Tax bills in the deceased’s name
- Rental agreements/statements (private or local authority)
- Other outstanding bills
- Leases, hire purchase agreements or similar (eg for equipment, car or furniture)
- Educational loan statements
- Any other loan statements
Amounts owed to the deceased
- Outstanding invoices if the deceased ran a business
- Written/verbal evidence of other money owed to the deceased
Property
- Property deeds or leases (main home and any other at home or abroad)
- Property keys
Other possessions
- Existing valuations of property such as jewellery, painting and similar (though an up to date market valuation will be required)
- Any existing inventories of property/possessions
- Safety box deposit information
Employment or self-employment
- PAYE form P60 and latest payslips if the deceased was employed
- Recent tax returns and tax calculation statements (if relevant)
Business related
- Company registration documents, accounts, tax and VAT returns if they had a business
Other documents/information
The following documents and information will be required by the personal representative or close relative in order to contact relatives and friends or to return documents to relevant organisations:
- Address book/information listing close friends and relatives who will need to be informed
- Passport
- Vehicle registration documents if the deceased owned a car
- Driving licence/parking permits/travel cards/Blue Badge for disabled parking
- Membership cards or documents/correspondence showing membership of clubs, associations, Trade Unions and similar.