Funeral Arrangements

Honouring Your
Loved One.

PARKSIDE

We understand losing a loved one is an incredibly upsetting thing to go through. At Parkside we can guide you through every step and offer you help and support along the way at such a difficult time.

Registering a death

The new statutory death certification process came into effect on September 9th 2024. Under this system, all deaths in England and Wales are independently scrutinised, either by a relevant coroner or by a Medical Examiner. A Medical Examiner is a senior medical doctor who provides independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths. This process can take up to anything between 7-10 days.

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If you would like to speak with one of our compassionate staff members to discuss the various funeral services we offer and how we can support you during this difficult time, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us today. We are here to help guide you every step of the way.

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Another key change relates to the role of the Medical examiner: A Medical Examiner is a senior medical practitioner who provides independent scrutiny of the cause of death proposed by the registered attending practitioner.

Medical Examiners are supported by Medical Examiner Officers, and their independent scrutiny includes a review of medical records, an interaction with the registered attending practitioner completing the Medical Certificate of the Cause of death (MCCD), and offering representatives of the deceased person the opportunity to ask questions and raise any concerns.

Please review the steps below:

  1. A registered medical practitioner will propose a cause of death which will be independently scrutinised by a Medical Examiner after reviewing relevant medical records.
  2. The Medical Examiner will offer the bereaved an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.
  3. Once the registered medical practitioner and the Medical Examiner have made their declarations and the cause of death is finalised, and if there is no requirement to notify the relevant coroner, the MCCD is sent to the registrar’s office; this notification will also start the 5-day target to register the death. It will not be possible for a death to be registered in non-coronial cases without the Medical Examiner approving the MCCD. The registration informant, who is the person who provides the information regarding the deceased person, other than the cause of death, to the registrar, is simultaneously notified so that they can contact the register office in order to get the death registered.
  4. The informant contacts the register office and the arrangements are made to register the death.
  5. Where requested, the registrar produces one or more certified copies of the death entry in the register also known as a Death Certificate for the representative of the deceased person to purchase.

Cost and Other Details

How much does it cost to register a death

There is no cost for registering a death, but you do need to pay for the death certificate. This costs £12.50 for each copy.

What do you need to register a death

  • Birth Certificate
  • National Insurance Number
  • Council Tax bill
  • Driving License
  • Passport
  • Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificate, if applicable
  • NHS Medical Card
  • Proof of address

You don’t need to have all of the above paperwork to register a death, so don’t worry if it’s not all available.

The registrar will require the following information:

  • The full name of the person who died.
  • Their full home address.
  • Their date and place of birth.
  • Details of where and when the person died.
  • Their occupation, or last occupation if applicable.
    If they were receiving any benefits, including pensions.

Registering the Death

The next step is to register the death at the Registrar’s Office in the district where the death occurred and get a death certificate. An appointment needs to be made by telephone before attending the Registrar’s Office.

This usually needs to be done within five days and only takes around 30 minutes, but it can be delayed if the Coroner is involved.

Who can register a death

The registration can be completed by:

  • A family member or civil partner.
  • A person who was present at death.
  • The person carrying out the funeral arrangements.
  • An executor of the Will of the deceased.
  • An administrator where the death took place.

Once you have made an appointment to register a death with the local registrar, it’s important to provide them with as much information about the deceased as possible. The most important document is the medical certificate of cause of death provided by the Medical Examiner or GP.