When a loved one passes away at home, the first call should be to their GP. A Doctor will attend to confirm that death has occurred, they will then give permission for the deceased to be conveyed to our premises. Irrespective of the time of day or night, please contact us.

If the death was expected and a Registered Nurse or Paramedic is present, it is not be necessary for a Doctor to attend.

The Doctor will issue a Medical Certificate which will state the cause of death. This will usually be made available for collection from the GP Surgery later that same day, or the following day. This Medical Certificate is required for the death to be registered.

If the death was sudden or unexpected, the Coroner will be informed; it may be necessary for the deceased to be taken into the Coroner’s care for further investigation.

The Nursing staff will contact the next of kin if not present at the time of death, and will arrange for a Doctor to complete certification.

On the family’s instruction, the Nursing staff will contact us to make arrangements for the deceased to be conveyed to our funeral home.

We will contact the GP Surgery on behalf of the family to arrange for the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to be issued.

Please note: the family are required to collect this from the Surgery before making an appointment to register the death.

We ask the family to contact us at a convenient time to make an appointment to meet with the Funeral Director.
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The Nursing staff will contact the next of kin if not present at the time of death, and will arrange for a doctor to complete certification.

The family are required to contact the bereavement office at the Hospital to arrange collection of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) and any personal belongings.

We ask the family to contact us directly to confirm that they would like to use our services.

Some deaths are reported to the Coroner’s Office – If, for example:

• Death was sudden, violent or caused by an accident
• Death might be due to an industrial injury or disease
• The death occurred while the patient was undergoing an operation or was under the effect of an anaesthetic, a recent fracture, or within 24 hours of a hospital admission.

The Coroner will decide if a post-mortem examination is required. The Coroner has a legal right to request a post-mortem, even if it is contrary to the family’s beliefs and wishes.

The Coroner’s officer will liaise with the family and issue the relevant documents to the Registry Office to enable funeral arrangements to proceed.

Please note: it is important to inform us if the death has been referred to the Coroner.

An appointment to register the death is required. This must take place within 5 working days (unless the case has been referred to the Coroner) and at the Registry Office in the district where the death occurred.

Please note, only a relative of the deceased, someone present at the time of death or the person making the funeral arrangements may register the death.

Information required:
Don’t worry if all of these documents are not available, the important one is the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).

• Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
• The deceased’s National Insurance Number
• The deceased’s date of birth
• Information on benefits or services the deceased received
• Passport
• Driving Licence
• Disability Badge
• Bus Pass
• Medical Card
• Marriage Certificate
• Birth Certificate.

It is important to establish who will be responsible for making the formal arrangements, this is usually the next of kin or the Executor of the Will. This person will also be responsible for making sure all funeral costs are met.

Before attending an appointment with us please consider some of the following options: will it be a burial or cremation, a private gathering or a bigger ceremony, whether or not it should be a religious or secular and most importantly what the deceased would have wanted.

Whatever is decided we are here to provide guidance and support and make the process as stress free as possible.

Once the formal arrangements have been made we will send a confirmation letter and estimate listing the details we have agreed, along with our terms and conditions.

We will always explain the different fees and charges that are involved in arranging a funeral, that’s why it is important to discuss the costs and financial position when speaking with the funeral director at the time of arranging.

There are some costs associated with a funeral that we have no control over. These include Doctors fees (cremation only), cremation or burial fees, Minister or Celebrant fees, flowers and newspaper notices. In some cases we may require payment for these before the funeral takes place.

An itemised estimate will be provided before the funeral takes place. Our final account will be issued to the person who made the formal arrangements unless stated otherwise after the funeral has taken place.

Financial assistance may be available via the Government funeral expenses payment scheme;

The Government Funeral Expenses Payment offers financial assistance and provides a limited amount, which may cover a very basic funeral, or provide a contribution towards a more traditional funeral. Further information can be found here; https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments