HELP & GUIDANCE
When a Death Occurs
DEATH AT HOME
Contact the deceased’s doctor or the Out of Hours Doctor depending on the time of death.
DEATH AT A NUSRING HOME
A member of the nursing home staff will liaise with the doctor
DEATH AT HOSPITAL
A member of the hospital staff will help you with the procedures to follow.
REGISTERING A DEATH
Any relative at the local registrar office
WHAT TO DO WHEN DEATH OCCURS
Scott Otley Funeral Director is here to assist you
AT HOME
Contact the deceased’s doctor or the Out of Hours Doctor depending on the time of death.
In normal circumstances, the deceased’s GP will issue the Medical Certificate of Death. If the Out of Hours Doctor is contacted, they will confirm the death until the deceased’s own G.P can issue the certificate.
You should then contact Scott Otley Funeral Director for further assistance.
AT HOSPITAL
A member of the hospital staff will help you with the procedures to follow.
The staff will let you know if the doctor is issuing the Medical Certificate of Death or if the coroner is to be involved.
You should then contact Scott Otley Funeral Director for further assistance.
AT A NURSING HOME
A member of the nursing home staff will liaise with the doctor, who will issue the Medical Certificate of Death.
You should then contact Scott Otley Funeral Director for further assistance.
OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE?
Do not hesitate to contact Scott Otley Funeral Director for further help and support
WHO CAN REGISTER THE DEATH?
A relative, a person present at the time of death or the person arranging the funeral.
WHERE CAN YOU REGISTER A DEATH?
At any registrar’s office within Northern Ireland.
INFORMATION REQUIRED WHEN REGISTERING A DEATH
You should be in a position to provide the following details about the deceased person, when you are registering the death:
Full name, surname and maiden name (if applicable)
DOB
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death
Occupation
Residing address
If the deceased person was receiving, a pension or other public fund?
If the deceased was married, the following details, of the surviving spouse will be required at the time of registering the death:
Full name
Occupation
DOB
DOCUMENTATION YOU BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AT THE TIME OF REGISTERING THE DEATH
MCCD (medical certificate for the cause of death).
This is provided by the deceased’s G.P or the hospital doctor, depending on where the death occurred.
If the death has been referred to the coroner, the Coroner’s Liaison Officer will advise you on what steps to take next. (Please do not hesitate to contact Scott or the office directly, should you have any queries regarding this)
Details of pension or any allowances the deceased was receiving.
DOCUMENTS YOU WILL RECEIVE FROM THE REGISTRAR
A GRO21 form will be provided by the registrar.
You should provide this form to Scott Otley Funeral Director, at your earliest convenience.
This form is required to allow funeral arrangements to be carried out.
THE ROLE OF THE CORONER
The coroner is appointed to investigate all sudden, violent or unnatural deaths.
The coroner will also be involved if a person dies in a prison or police custody.
POST-MORTEMS
The coroner may decide a post-mortem is required to investigate further how the person died.
This will be carried out in either a hospital or a mortuary.
You cannot object to a coroner’s post-mortem. However, the coroner will appoint a liaison officer who will provide you with the details of when & where the post-mortem will take place.
In normal circumstances, the PSNI will be involved with the coroner’s investigation.
AFTER THE POST-MORTEM
The coroner will release the deceased’s body to allow the funeral to take place.
This will only happen once they have completed the post-mortem examinations & no further investigations are required.
WHO TO INFORM WHEN A DEATH OCCURS?
At your earliest convenience, you or a person appointed, should inform the following people involved with the deceased:
Relatives and friends
Employer/ Employer’s
School/ College/ University
Solicitor
National Insurance Contributions Office (this will cancel any further payments if the deceased was self-employed)
Landlord or Local Authority if the deceased was in rented accommodation
Local Authority if the deceased paid Council Tax or was issued with a Disabled Parking Badge
Insurance or finance companies
Bank/Building Society or mortgage lender
Credit or store card providers
TV & Internet companies
Royal Mail
UK Passport Agency
Social groups to which the deceased belonged
Dentist
Creditors