Registering a Death

Bereavement Support Services

St Margaret’s Bereavement Team offers a range of services for bereaved families, friends and carers of patients cared for by St Margaret’s Hospice Care.

In order to help after the death of someone close to you, this leaflet explains some of the practical steps which need to be taken when registering a death.

Information and advice

When your loved one has died here on the In-Patient Unit at St Margarets Hospice, a Doctor will send a referral form of the expected cause of death, to the Somerset Medical Examiner Services (SMES). This system ensures that all deaths not under the Coroners’ jurisdiction are reviewed by an independent senior doctor to agree an accurate cause of death. The duty Medical Examiner will contact you prior to the death certificate being completed to give you the opportunity to share any feedback around your loved ones’ care and treatment. Medical and Nursing staff will also be available to answer any questions you may have.

The death must be registered within 5 days (unless a registrar has given permission for this to be exceeded) and registrations are only made by appointment.

When attending your appointment you will need to provide the following documents relating to the deceased:

• Birth Certificate
• Council tax bill
• Driving licence
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate
• NHS medical card
• Passport (you will also need to bring your own passport as proof of ID)
• Proof of address (e.g. utility bill/bank statement).

You will need to tell the registrar:

• Deceased’s full name at time of death
• Deceased’s previous names, g. maiden name
• Deceased’s date and place of birth
• Last address of deceased
• Deceased’s occupation
• Full name, date of birth and occupation of surviving spouse
• Whether the deceased was receiving a state pension or any other benefits.

‘Tell us once’

All Register Offices in Somerset will automatically offer the ‘Tell us Once’ service when you make an appointment to register a death. Once the death has been registered this service then passes the information directly on to a number of other government departments and local council services.

These departments will include:

Council Services

• Adult Social Care
• Blue Badges
• Children’s Services
• Collection of payments for Council Services
• Council Tax
• Council Tax Benefit
• Electoral Services
• Housing Benefits
• Libraries

Department for Work and Pensions

• Jobcentre
• Overseas Health Team
• Pension, Disability and Carers Service

Driving & Vehicle Licensing Agency for licence cancellation

Please note that the DVLA will need to be told separately of the change in ownership of any vehicles.

HM Revenue & Customs

• Child Benefits
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit
• Personal Taxation

Identity and Passport Service for passport cancellation

Ministry of Defence, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency for War Pensions Schemes

Death Certificates

There is a charge of £11 for each certificate issued. Photocopies are not acceptable for legal purposes. With this in mind it may be useful to estimate how many certificates you may need. The following could be used as a guide.

Will require certificate, but should return:

• Banks
• Building Societies
• Pension Companies
• Premium Bonds & National Savings Solicitors

Will require certificate, may not return:

• Life Insurance
• Any contracts or Agreements

Will require certificate, will not return:

• Accountants
• Share accounts