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Registering a death

The following information will help you prepare for your appointment to register a death.

Who can attend the registration appointment?

  • The person registering the death be a spouse, child or close relative of the deceased. Alternatively, it can be someone who was with the person when they died or is arranging their funeral.
  • When you attend the register office for your appointment the registrar will:
    • Ask you questions about the deceased.
    • Tell you about the paperwork that will be issued for the burial or cremation.
    • Issue any death certificates you may need (£11.00 each).
    • Advise you about the Tell us Once Service. This can be completed at the register office, or later at home.
    • Be able to signpost you to other services you might be able to help you.

What do I need to know ?

The Registrar will ask you for the following information about the person who has died:

Registering a death details and information
Details required Guidance notes
Date of death  
Place of death

The name of the hospital, hospice or care home where the person died. If they died at a residential address we require the full address, including postcode.

Name and surname The full name by which the person was known as at the time they died. If they were known by more than one name, this can be recorded. Any former names can be recorded if required. The registrar can advise on this.
Sex Male or Female
Maiden surname of woman who was married This is the surname in which a woman contracted her (first) marriage
Date of birth The full date of birth is required. If not known, a month and/or year can recorded
Place of birth The town or village of birth, plus county should be recorded. If London, please identify the Borough. If the deceased was born outside of the UK we will record their country of birth.
Occupation

Please provide as much information as possible relating to the most recent occupation.

Please also record whether the deceased was retired.

Usual address The deceased’s usual place of residence at the of death should be recorded.

How much does it cost to register a death?

The death registration is free of charge.

Any death certificates you wish to purchase will cost £11.00 each at the time of registration. Further copies can be purchased after that date. 

All certificate fees [pdf document]

Tell us once

Once you have registered a death you can choose to use the Tell Us Once service.

This is a free government service allowing you to notify most government departments and local councils. The Registrar will advise you how to use the service.

More details can be found on the .gov.uk website [external link] or by viewing the following video below.

For more information please contact us at [email protected] or on 01325 406400.

Reporting a death using the Tell Us Once service.

We appreciate it is a difficult time when someone you know dies.

Tell Us Once makes it easier to report a death to most government departments and local councils.

There is no charge to use the service.

You will get advice on how to use the Tell Us Once service when you register the death.

After you provide the information needed, Tell Us Once will then notify:

  • The Department for Work and Pensions – to cancel their benefits and entitlements
  • Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs – to update their benefits, credits, or personal tax records
  • Her Majesty’s Passport Office – to cancel their British passport
  • The Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency – to cancel their driving licence and update the keeper of a vehicle information, and
  • Veterans UK – to cancel War Pension Scheme and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments

Tell Us Once will also contact their local council to update records, including:

  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Tax
  • a Blue Badge
  • Adult Social Services, and
  • the electoral register

Tell Us Once can notify many public sector pension schemes, such as the civil service, NHS, armed forces and local government.

Tell Us Once cannot contact their bank, utility companies, mortgage, TV Licensing, private pension or insurance providers.

This will need to be done by the person dealing with their affairs.

For more information go to: gov.uk/when-someone-dies.

This video is a guide only.

You can get help with grief after a bereavement.

Go online to nhs.uk and search for “bereavement”

Install our web app.