1 / Straight away / Contact the doctor. Within a day or so, you will get a medical certificate showing cause of death. You will also get another document, telling you how to register the death. / Phone number for Dr.
2 / Same day, or next morning / Contact a Funeral Director. (Check if there is a pre-paid funeral plan.)They are available 24 hours a day, but you do not have to call them at once, unless you want your loved one to be collected immediately. They will give you advice on what to do next. / Phone numbers
Appointment:
3 / In the first day or so / Find the will. Look in the house or ask their solicitor or bank. There may be instructions for the funeral arrangements. / Solicitor’s phone no:
4 / Within five days
(You will have longer to do
this if the coroner is involved) / Register the death. Look up Registration in the phone book, or ask the doctor, the post office or the police station for the phone number. You will need to ring first to make an appointment. You can go to any register office to register a death, but it may be easier to go to the one in the district where the person died because the paperwork will be quicker.
The Tell Us Once service means the registrar can contact the tax office and DWP on your behalf.
As a guide, you should ask for 4 -6 death certificates. / Appointment:
Crewe / Macclesfield:
0300 123 5019
Chester & Northwich: 0300 1237037
Staffordshire:
0300 111 8001
Stoke-on-Trent: 01782 235260 (press option 2)
5 / When you go to register the death / You will need to take the medical certificate. Ask what else you need to take. You will need:
• their full name (& any other names they once had)
• the date and place of death
• the usual address of the deceased
• their date and place of birth
• their most recent occupation & NI number
• whether or not they were receiving a pension, attendance allowance or other benefits
• the name, occupation and date of birth of their
husband, wife or civil partner.
You should also take these, if available:
• their medical card or NHS number
• their birth certificate
• marriage or civil partnership certificates / Write in here, or on the back
6 / Before the cremation can take place / If you are having a cremation, there will need to be a second medical certificate from another doctor. The Funeral Director will deal with this.
7 / As soon as you have a date for the funeral / Discuss with the celebrant or minister what words and music will be in the funeral. You can do this service yourself – it does not have to be religious. / Phone number
Appointment:
8 / As soon as possible - urgent / Tell the Dept. of Work & Pensions to stop paying any benefits, such as the pension. You will have to repay any money that is sent after the person died.
(The registrar may have contacted the DWP for you) / 0845 606 0265
Press any key, then 2.
9 / As soon as possible / Check the deceased’s diary for appointments.□Return the passport for cancellation□
Tell the Tax Office □ (0845 300 0627) landlord □
GP □ dentist □ optician □ employer □ bank □
building society □ gas □ electricity □ DVLA □ insurance □ solicitor □ clubs □ premium bonds □ library □ Tel: 01732 460 000 to stop mail □ friends□ / Others: / □
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10 / Within three months of the funeral / If you are on means–tested benefits, you may be able to ask for a grant from the Social Fund to pay towards the funeral. Use form SF200, from your local Jobcentre Plus office or download from / 0845 606 0265
Press any key, then 2.
March 2013: Available to download as an editable Word document: