What to do when someone dies

Get a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death

A Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is a legal document that explains how someone has passed away.

If the cause of death is clear, this is usually issued by a doctor immediately.

If the cause of death isn’t clear or the person died suddenly, this will be referred to the coroner and may require a post-mortem.

Without a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, you will not be able to register the death or start the process of arranging a funeral.

If you need more information contact your nearest Dignity Funeral Director who will be available to help.

Registering a death

After you’ve got the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, you will then need to register the death.

• If you're in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you will have five days to register a death
• If you're in Scotland, you will have up to eight days

To register a death, you will need to contact the local register office where the person passed.

You will receive a death certificate, which will allow you to start dealing with things such as banks, housing and mortgage companies, or to start the probate process.

For more information about registering a death, contact your local Dignity Funeral Director or read our more extensive guides in the links below.

Choosing a Funeral Director

Here at Dignity, we believe that every funeral is different and will cater to all of your needs at a personal level. With decades of experience, our funeral directors are kind, caring, compassionate and more importantly, we strive to set the highest standards of funeral care to the families we serve and the loved one they’ve lost.

Another thing to consider is if your loved one has a funeral plan. If they have one already, your funeral director may have already been pre-selected.

We have more extensive information about what to consider when choosing a funeral director.

Bringing you loved one into our care

Once you have appointed a Dignity Funeral Director, we will bring your loved one into our care. We will collect your loved one from their place of rest and bring them into one of our climate controlled mortuary facilities to begin caring for, and preparing them for the funeral.

If you’d like, you can visit them in our Chapel of Rest and say goodbye in your own way, or conduct pre-funeral rituals if that is a requirement.

For more information about how we can help, speak to your local Dignity Funeral Director.

Who to notify about a death

When someone dies there are several organisations that you need to notify. Before doing so, it is important to ensure the following have been notified;

• GP
• Relatives and friends/next of kin
• The funeral director
• Register office
• Employer/school
• Health professionals – you may need to cancel any outstanding hospital appointments

Take a look at our guide for all the organisations to contact or get in touch with your nearest Dignity Funeral Director for help.

Start arranging a funeral

There are several areas to consider when arranging a funeral, from finding a funeral director to planning the funeral service, to deciding what happens on the day. Here are all the main things to consider:

• Help with funeral arrangements: Find a funeral director near you
• What to do before arranging a funeral
• What type of funeral do you want to arrange? Cremation, burial, religious, non-religious? Or something completely unique?
• Compare different types of funeral services available
• How long does it take to arrange the funeral?
• Planning a fitting service that best commemorates your loved one’s life
• Consider costs when arranging a funeral
• Create a funeral notice
• What happens on the day

If you need more information, we have created a step-by-step guide, which details every aspect of arranging a funeral. Alternatively, speak to your local Dignity Funeral Director for more information and guidance.