If the cause of death is quite clear and the doctor had attended the deceased during their last illness he or she will give you the following:
| • | a medical certificate that shows the cause of death (this is free of charge and will be in a sealed envelope addressed to the registrar). |
| • | a formal notice which states that the doctor has signed the medical certificate and tells you how to register the death. |
If the funeral is to be a cremation, the doctor will arrange for the signature of a second doctor required to complete the cremation certificate. Doctors charge fees for providing cremation certificates.
You may wish to contact the deceased’s minister of religion.
If the death is sudden or unexpected, you should contact the following people
(if known):
| • | the family doctor |
| • | the deceased’s nearest relative |
| • | the deceased’s minister of religion |
| • | the police, who will help find the people listed above if necessary |
| • | The death may be referred to the coroner. |
When a death happens in hospital
If the death occurs in hospital, the hospital staff or the police (if death was accidental) will contact the person named by the deceased as next of kin.
This may be, but need not be, a relative. If you have been named as next of kin they will arrange a convenient time for you to attend the hospital.
You will then be asked to:
| • | identify the body; |
| • | give permission for a post mortem in cases where there is no legal requirement but doctors think that it is advisable in order to establish a cause of death. |
Hospital staff will arrange for the nearest relative to collect the deceased’s possessions. You may, if you wish, request to see the hospital chaplain. The deceased will remain at the hospital until the next of kin or executor has made the arrangements with the funeral director.
The hospital will:
| • | either issue a medical certificate of cause of death needed by the registrar, provided the cause of death is quite clear. There may be a post-mortem provided the nearest relative agrees; |
| • | or, in a few cases, report the death to the coroner and make arrangements for a post mortem if required. |
If the actual time of death is not known, the doctor may estimate the time of death.
All deaths occurring in England and Wales must be registered within five days.
A death should be registered as soon as possible to allow funeral arrangements
to proceed.
Since 1 April 1997 a death can be registered at any registrar in England and Wales and you do not have to go to the registrar in the district where the death occurred, or where the deceased person lived, but it is usually more convenient to register a death in the sub-district in which it happened.
You can find the address in the phone book under Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or from the doctor, local council, post office or police station.
If the death has not been referred to the coroner, go to the registrar as soon as possible. The death must be registered within five days (unless the registrar says this period may be exceeded). The declaration will then, if appropriate, be forwarded to the registrar for the sub-district where the death took place, where it will be registered. There may be some delay in certificates being issued, as this cannot be done until the death has been registered.
The doctor may report the death to the coroner if it resulted from or occurred in any of these circumstances:
| • | the deceased was not attended by a doctor during the last illness or the doctor treating the deceased had not seen him or her either after death or in the 14 days before the death |
| • | the death was violent or unnatural or occurred under suspicious circumstances |
| • | the cause of death is not known or is uncertain |
| • | the death occurred while a patient was undergoing an operation or did not recover from the anesthetic |
| • | the death was caused by an industrial disease |
| • | the death occurred in prison or in police custody. |
The coroner may be the only person who can certify the cause of death. The doctor will write on the formal notice that the death has been referred to the coroner.
The coroner is a doctor or lawyer responsible for investigating deaths and the coroner may arrange for a post-mortem examination of the body. The consent of the relatives is not needed, but they are entitled to be represented at the examination by a doctor.
If the post mortem shows that death was due to natural causes, the coroner will issue a notification by the coroner (the pink form 100), which gives the cause of death so that the death can be registered. The coroner usually sends the form direct to the registrar, but may give it to you to deliver.
If the body is to be cremated the coroner will issue the certificate for cremation (form E) which allows cremation to take place. We normall collect this form on your behalf.
The coroner will also send a certificate after inquest (form 99 (rev)), stating the cause of death, to the registrar. This allows the death to be registered.
You will need to decide:
| • | Where the body is to rest while awaiting the funeral |
| • | The time and place of the funeral |
| • | How much you intend to spend on the funeral |
| • | Whether to have flowers, or to make any donations to a named charity |
| • | Whether to put a notice in the newspapers |
| • | Whether the body should be buried or cremated or there will be a green funeral |
| • | What you wish to do with the ashes. |
| • | Check the will to see if there are any instructions for the funeral left by the deceased. |
The funeral director will help you with these arrangements and if you are unsure about anything contact your funeral director.
What we do
We are here to help you with all aspects of the funeral arrangements and we will do all that we can to make it easier for you - and fulfil all your wishes.
We will arrange the funeral according to your wishes and take charge of everything from booking the church and/or crematorium through to making contact with vicars, priests and other funeral officiants. We can advise and guide you through the service from the format through to your choice of music.
If there is to be a cremation we will help with the interment after the funeral. We can hold the ashes for you until you have made a decision and we can arrange to have them transported to anywhere in the world.
We can also help with other arrangements from catering and ordering flowers through to having service sheets printed.
You matter to us and we are fully aware of the stress and worry as well as the sense of loss that comes with a bereavement. That is why we are here to help and we are available for help, guidance and instruction at all times. We listen and understand your needs at this difficult time.
Bereavement Help
For advice and help coping with bereavement the following websites may be of assistance to you.
www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
www.childbereavement.org.uk
www.helptheaged.org.uk/
For a list of other bereavement contacts - from coping with deaths under all sorts of circumstances, as well as with pet death, the following offers links under the heading Self Help Group.
We have offices at:
67 George Street Croydon, Surrey CR0 1LD
21-27 Sheldon Street. Croydon, CR0 1SS - Chapel of Rest and Monumental Masons
84 Godstone Road, Kenley, CR8 5AA, tel: 020 8668 8565
175 Selsdon Park Road, Croydon, Surrey CR2 8JJ, tel: 020 8657 3616
We operate a 24-hour service and can be contacted on:
020 8688 1447 and 020 8688 2003
If you wish to contact us by email please use the following address:
enquiries@jbshakespearefunerals.co.uk
Our Fax Number is:
020 8688 5330
Click here to find us on a map