What To Do When A Person Dies

Nothing can prepare us for the shock of losing a loved one. It is one of the hardest things in life we ever face. In truth, it is something that most of us fear, so when the time comes it is good to know what to do next.


As Family Funeral Directors, we are here for you at every step. You’re not alone because we will walk with you through this every step of the way. Sometimes you may feel it is all too much and at those times Barthram will guide you with compassion and calm assurance. It is normal to feel confused and in shock, but please don’t worry as we will get you through this challenging time.


The first three important steps are:


  • Step One: Obtain A Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
  • Step Two: Register the Death at a Registry Office
  • Step Three: Appoint us as your Local Funeral Director

Obtain a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).

This form is the official record for the cause of death. It is required so that you can register the death. 


The attending GP (if death was at home or in a care home) or the Bereavement/Patient Affairs Office (if the death was in hospital) will give this form to the appropriate Registry Office.

Register the Death at a

Registry Office.

You must register the death within five days of the person passing away. It must be registered at the Registry Office in the area where the loved one has died.  Registering the death needs to be carried out by the legally responsible person. This is usually the next of kin, a close relative or the Executor of the deceased. 


The death can also be registered by a person who was present at the time of death, the person who lives at the premises where the death occurred, or the person responsible for arranging the funeral.


A Registry Office representative will either contact you as next of kin once they receive the MCCD. Alternatively, you can register the death by booking an online appointment with the Registry Office (on their website). Then a representative will call you at an appointed time.

  • The Registrar will requires the following information:
    • Date and place of death
    • Full name and address of the deceased (including maiden name if the person was married)
    • Date and place of birth
    • Occupation
    • Name and address of their husband or wife, or civil partner
    • Your name, address and your relationship to the deceased
    • Whether the deceased was receiving a public pension.

  • Coroner

    Please note that if the Coroner is involved, we can supply you with more information as we are your official funeral director. Please contact us so that we can explain the procedures that may be necessary when the coroner’s office is involved. 


    Find Out More Here >>

  • The Registrar will then Provide:

    Certified copies of the entry i.e. the Death Certificate.  

    This certificate is available at the time of registration. You may want to buy extra copies for insurance purposes or to close existing bank accounts etc. The Registrar charges a fee for each extra copy. You can arrange additional copies at a later date, but the fees charged for copies may be higher.



    Certificate for Burial or Cremation (ie the ‘Green Form’)

    This form means the funeral may legally go ahead.  It is emailed to you and you should then send it to your chosen Funeral Director.


    A ‘Tell Us Once’ reference number:  

    This online service is very useful as it means you can inform most government departments of the death in one go. 


Appoint a Funeral Director

Your Funeral Director can help you with the documentation required for cremation or burial and help with all other aspects of the service.


For More Detailed Information Please Click Here

Looking After the Person Who has Died

If the patient was in hospital at the time of death, you will usually be given  time with your relative on the ward before the body goes to the mortuary. Most hospitals have a viewing room often called the Chapel of Rest.


You will usually need an appointment to see someone in the viewing room, which is often arranged by the hospital’s bereavement service. If someone has died at home or in a nursing home the death is often both natural and expected.


The death will usually be confirmed by a qualified professional, and you will be advised that you can now contact a funeral director. You can then call us at Barthram’s when you are ready, and we will then attend to bring your loved one into our care.


It is possible to keep your loved one at home, but we strongly recommend you seek advice from us before deciding to do this.


​If someone has died in a public place or at home and the death was not expected, the person may be taken to hospital by ambulance (if resuscitation is attempted).


The police will also attend and if death is confirmed at the scene, they will notify the coroner. A funeral director will move your loved one, on behalf of the coroner. This is usually to James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, or the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, depending on your location.


The funeral director attending on behalf of the coroner may not be your chosen funeral firm to take care of funeral arrangements. If so, please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice. You should receive a contact number for the coroner’s office, but if not, a coroner’s officer will phone you, usually on the next working day.


What Happens Next?

If the death is both expected and natural, a doctor who has been looking after the patient will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). You need this to be able to register the death unless a coroner is involved.


If the person died in hospital you may have to wait for administrative staff to contact you to give you an appointment to collect the MCCD. The ward staff or bereavement services centre will tell you the procedure. 


You can usually collect any belongings at the same time as the certificate. This delay may seem inconvenient, but the doctor who needs to complete the MCCD may not be on duty at the time of death. ​If the death was at home or in a care / nursing home it will usually be the GP who issues the MCCD.


Often you will be shown the certificate, but sometimes it will already have been placed in a sealed envelope. You may want to ask about this when you make the appointment to collect the MCCD. It is quite reasonable to ask what is written on the certificate as the cause of death and to be sure that you understand this.


This may be the first time you have seen in writing that the person has died and this can feel quite a shock.


If the Coroner is Involved

The majority of deaths reported to the coroner are completely natural but the cause of death is not certain. It is a legal requirement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that the cause of death is known and recorded. Scottish law is similar.


Examples of deaths which are referred to the coroner are those where the cause of death is not known, as a result of an accident, resulting from medical treatment or which are suspicious. The police or a doctor informs the coroner.


The coroner is a senior and independent judicial officer and has coroner’s officers working for him or her, who carry out investigations for the coroner. Usually someone from the coroner’s office will speak to the nearest relative or their representative, as well as any doctors who have been looking after the deceased, before deciding if a post-mortem examination is necessary. This is an external and internal examination of the body. It is normally possible to view and dress the body as usual after the examination.

Please tell the coroner’s office if you object to a post-mortem examination for any reason, but it is a legal requirement about which you unfortunately have no choice over by law. You do have the right to be represented at the examination, but most people find this unnecessary.


The purpose of the examination is to determine the cause of death and it is not done for research or any other purpose. It may be necessary to keep very small samples of tissue and fluid from the body for further testing. You will be told if this is necessary and given a choice about what happens to the samples in the future.


The ministry of justice has a very helpful booklet Guide to coroners and inquests Charter for coroner’s services. If you are not offered this, it can be downloaded using this link here.


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