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registering a sudden death |
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What is the procedure for registering a sudden death? - The registration of the death is the formal record of the death. It is a criminal offence not to register the death with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- The address of the local registrar can be obtained from the:
- Check the opening times of the registry office, as they may operate limited hours.
When?
- The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages can register the death only when he/ she is given the Medical Cause of Death Certificate (Form 11) or has received notification from the Procurator Fiscal. (The general practitioner may send the Medical Cause of Death Certificate direct to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.)
- In Scotland, the death must be registered within 8 days by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- A death must be registered before cremation can take place.
By whom?
- The death should be registered by one of the following (in order of priority):
- A relative who was present at the death.
- A relative present during the person's last illness.
- A relative living in the district where the death took place.
- The executor or other legal representative (e.g., somebody with Power of Attorney).
- Anyone who was present at the death.
- An owner or occupier of the building where the death took place and who was aware of the death.
- The person arranging the funeral (but not the funeral director).
- It is not possible to delegate responsibility for registering the death to anyone else.
Where?
- When someone dies at home, the death should be registered at the registry office for the district where they lived.
- If the death took place in the hospital it must be registered at the registry office for the district in which the hospital is situated.
What is required?
- The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages will need to be told:
- date, time and place of death.
- full name, occupation and postal address of the dead person and country of birth.
- if the person was married, widowed or divorced, the full name of the husband or wife and the occupation of the husband. (If the person was married more than once, details of previous spouses are also required.)
- if the person was married at the date of death, the date of birth of the surviving widow or widower.
- the full name and occupation of the dead person's father, and the full name and maiden surname of the mother.
- whether the person was in receipt of a pension or an allowance for public funds.
- the name and address of the person's general practitioner.
- The following documents will need to be produced to verify the information provided to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- Medical Cause of Death Certificate (Form 11). This is retained by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
- Any pension book, certificate or document relating to any pension or allowances which the person was receiving from public funds.
- NHS medical card (if available).
- The deceased's birth and marriage certificates (if available).
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