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What to do when someone dies
• Their last address • Their occupation • The full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner • Whether they were receiving a State Pension or any other benefits What documents are issued by the Registrar • A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the ‘green form’) - gives permission for burial or an application for cremation. This should be given to the funeral director as soon as possible as they may need this to release the deceased from hospital. • A Certificate of Registration of Death (form BD8) - you may need to fill this in and return it if the person was getting a State Pension or benefits (the form will come with a pre-paid envelope so you know where to send it). Many local authorities offer a service called Tell Us Once, making it easier to inform local and central government departments of the death. If you use Tell Us Once you may not need to complete the BD8. • Certified copies of the death certificate: The death registration is a permanent record and is retained by the Registrar. You can purchase as many copies of this document as you need and this is what is meant when banks and others ask to see an ‘original’ death certificate. The price varies as it is set by the local council but usually rises significantly if you need more later. • Obtain one for each bank account, building society and share holdings of the deceased - although some banks and building societies may accept digital copies so please check before purchasing any additional copies - as they may be unnecessary. If there is to be an Inquest, the death is not registered until after the Inquest – the Coroner will issue you with an Interim Certificate which you can use instead of certified copies. Most organisations will only accept a certified copy as evidence of a death.
Immediate concerns
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