When A Loved One Dies
Below is a list of web sites, addresses, phone numbers and a little advice which may help at this difficult time.
The hospital or your GP will give the next of kin or their representative a letter to give to the Registrar which is a certificate telling what the cause of death was. Assuming you are the next of kin or their representative,
you can contact the Funeral Director of the deceased’s choice (or your own if no choice was made) once the GP/Hospital says you may.
The Funeral Director can then remove the body but will not be able to continue with the arrangements until the death has been registered. This is done at the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths for the sub-district in which it occurred. The address can be found in the phone book or your GP, Hospital or Police, Post Office, or Local Council will tell you.
The death must be registered within 5 days.
All of the people you come into contact with at this sad time will do their best to help, don’t be afraid to ask about anything you are not sure of.
When you are given the death certificate, get several extra copies as you will need these to send to any banks, building societies, Court of Protection, Insurance providers, Shares, Probate Office etc. The Registrar will also give you a special certificate to send to the Dept of Social Services.
You may wish to now take the death certificate to the deceased's solicitor and get guidance.
You will need to send back any order books etc. to the social security office which issued them with a note of explanation, or if payments were made directly into a bank account, put a letter in with the form given to you by the Registrar giving details of date(s) of last payments etc.
You will also need to contact any societies, DVLC, Passport Agency, NHS equipment centre etc. In fact everyone the deceased had a service from which ends on their death.
Make a list and cross off each as it is done.
www.oft.gov.uk
This website contains useful information under their “Consumer’s Guide to Funerals.
The National Association of Funeral Directors,
618 Warwick Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 1AA
tel. 0121 711 1343
Funeral Standards Council,
30 North Road, Cardiff, CF1 3DY
tel. 029 2038 2046
Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors,
Crowndale House, 1 Ferdinand Place, London, NW1 8EE
Tel. 020 7267 6777
Most funeral directors in the UK are members of one of the above three and have a Code of Practice.
They can also tell you about Pre- paid packages which can be set up at any time with most funeral directors. (These are a particularly sensible thing to do if there is a registered EPA in place and it is expected that all future care will be paid for privately. It is one of the few things you can pay for in advance.)
The Natural Death Centre,
20 Heber Road, London, NW2 6AA
tel. 020 8208 2853
Has published advice on arranging a funeral without a funeral director.
Probate Registries
www.courtservice.gov.uk
general enquiries tel. 0870 241 0109
When a person dies a Grant of Probate must be obtained to enable the estate to be dealt with. This can be done by a solicitor, but you can do it yourself. The Probate office and website tell you how.
Court of Protection,
Public Guardianship Office, Archway Tower, 2 Junction Road, London N19 5SZ
www.guardianship.gov.uk
Enduring Powers of Attorney Team,
020 7664 7328
If you had a registered EPA for the deceased, the original and all office copies you have must to go back when they die. (Send it by registered mail.)
Cruse bereavement Care,
126 Sheen Road,
Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1UR
Tel. 020 8940 4818
Bereavement Line: 0845 758 55 65
Counselling and information to anyone bereaved by death.
The National Association of Bereavement Services
20 Norton Folgate, London, E1 6DB
tel. 020 7709 9090
Can direct people to their nearest appropriate source of support.
The National Association of Widows
48 Queens Road, Coventry, CV1 3ER
tel. 024 7663 4848
Offers information and support through local branches.
The Compassionate Friends,
www.tcf.org.uk
tel. Helpline: 0117 953 0630 9.30 am – 10.30 pm
53 North Street, Bristol BS3 1EN
Organisation offering support to bereaved parents and their families.
Citizens Advice Bureau,
The local number will be in the phone book.
The Samaritans,
Open 24 hours a day, number in local phone book.
Please feel free to add any other relevant useful information to this list .
Hope this helps, Love, She. XX
Below is a list of web sites, addresses, phone numbers and a little advice which may help at this difficult time.
The hospital or your GP will give the next of kin or their representative a letter to give to the Registrar which is a certificate telling what the cause of death was. Assuming you are the next of kin or their representative,
you can contact the Funeral Director of the deceased’s choice (or your own if no choice was made) once the GP/Hospital says you may.
The Funeral Director can then remove the body but will not be able to continue with the arrangements until the death has been registered. This is done at the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths for the sub-district in which it occurred. The address can be found in the phone book or your GP, Hospital or Police, Post Office, or Local Council will tell you.
The death must be registered within 5 days.
All of the people you come into contact with at this sad time will do their best to help, don’t be afraid to ask about anything you are not sure of.
When you are given the death certificate, get several extra copies as you will need these to send to any banks, building societies, Court of Protection, Insurance providers, Shares, Probate Office etc. The Registrar will also give you a special certificate to send to the Dept of Social Services.
You may wish to now take the death certificate to the deceased's solicitor and get guidance.
You will need to send back any order books etc. to the social security office which issued them with a note of explanation, or if payments were made directly into a bank account, put a letter in with the form given to you by the Registrar giving details of date(s) of last payments etc.
You will also need to contact any societies, DVLC, Passport Agency, NHS equipment centre etc. In fact everyone the deceased had a service from which ends on their death.
Make a list and cross off each as it is done.
www.oft.gov.uk
This website contains useful information under their “Consumer’s Guide to Funerals.
The National Association of Funeral Directors,
618 Warwick Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 1AA
tel. 0121 711 1343
Funeral Standards Council,
30 North Road, Cardiff, CF1 3DY
tel. 029 2038 2046
Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors,
Crowndale House, 1 Ferdinand Place, London, NW1 8EE
Tel. 020 7267 6777
Most funeral directors in the UK are members of one of the above three and have a Code of Practice.
They can also tell you about Pre- paid packages which can be set up at any time with most funeral directors. (These are a particularly sensible thing to do if there is a registered EPA in place and it is expected that all future care will be paid for privately. It is one of the few things you can pay for in advance.)
The Natural Death Centre,
20 Heber Road, London, NW2 6AA
tel. 020 8208 2853
Has published advice on arranging a funeral without a funeral director.
Probate Registries
www.courtservice.gov.uk
general enquiries tel. 0870 241 0109
When a person dies a Grant of Probate must be obtained to enable the estate to be dealt with. This can be done by a solicitor, but you can do it yourself. The Probate office and website tell you how.
Court of Protection,
Public Guardianship Office, Archway Tower, 2 Junction Road, London N19 5SZ
www.guardianship.gov.uk
Enduring Powers of Attorney Team,
020 7664 7328
If you had a registered EPA for the deceased, the original and all office copies you have must to go back when they die. (Send it by registered mail.)
Cruse bereavement Care,
126 Sheen Road,
Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1UR
Tel. 020 8940 4818
Bereavement Line: 0845 758 55 65
Counselling and information to anyone bereaved by death.
The National Association of Bereavement Services
20 Norton Folgate, London, E1 6DB
tel. 020 7709 9090
Can direct people to their nearest appropriate source of support.
The National Association of Widows
48 Queens Road, Coventry, CV1 3ER
tel. 024 7663 4848
Offers information and support through local branches.
The Compassionate Friends,
www.tcf.org.uk
tel. Helpline: 0117 953 0630 9.30 am – 10.30 pm
53 North Street, Bristol BS3 1EN
Organisation offering support to bereaved parents and their families.
Citizens Advice Bureau,
The local number will be in the phone book.
The Samaritans,
Open 24 hours a day, number in local phone book.
Please feel free to add any other relevant useful information to this list .
Hope this helps, Love, She. XX
