If the death occurs at home
1. The next of kin should telephone the doctor who will visit to confirm that death has taken place.
2. Contact a funeral director and let them know if there is to be a burial on a cremation.
3. The GP will issue a Medical Cause of Death Certificate which the surgery will email to the appropriate registrar. We will let you know when that has been done. You do not need to come in to collect a form.
4. When the Medical Cause of Death Certificate is with the registrar you can go on-line, or ring to make an appointment to go and reigster the death. The Registrar will give you the certificate for your administrative needs.
5. The GP will issue a cremation form for the undertaker if required.
If the death occurs in hospital
1. Contact a funeral director to inform them their services are required and let them know if there is to be a burial or a cremation.
2. Collect the Medical Cause of Death Certificate from the hospital and then when the certificate is with the registrar you can go on-line or ring to make an appointment to go and register the death. The GP will then issue a cremation form for the undertaker if required.
Note for cremation
Your funeral director will usually liaise directly with the surgery regarding any additional certification required.
To make an appointment to register a death that happened in Bath and North East Somerset please call 01225 477234. The law requires a death to be registered within 5 calendar days. This includes weekends and bank holidays and applies to all deaths with no coroner involvement.
Visit https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies for a step by step guide.