What to do when someone dies

We are very aware many people may have never arranged a funeral service before and that at a time of loss most will naturally feel very vulnerable and completely out of their depth. As your appointed funeral director we are there for you, to help make matters more straightforward, less stressful and upsetting, by gently outlining the many options available to you; offering practical help; and taking very seriously the trust you have placed with us.

Our core focus is to provide caring and practical support, advice and guidance, so you and your family have the time you need to consider and decide on the type of funeral service you require for your loved one. Our role is to organise and arrange everything in line with the individual and collective wishes of each family. Having appointed us as your funeral director the first step is for us to bring the person who has died into our care, either from their home, care home, hospice, or hospital. Everyone who is brought into our care is looked after at our own premises in Burwash, or Heathfield.

Every family we meet is uniquely different in what they require. When you are ready we go through your wishes as to the funeral arrangements and to arrange completion of certain official paperwork required by the cremation and burial authorities. If there are aspects of the funeral service the family may wish to undertake themselves; such as bearing the coffin, to preparing the service sheets, or taking the service, then we are totally flexible and our services are tailored to meet the individual needs of each family we look after.

What should I do when death occurs?

This information is for guidance only, however whatever the situation if you are unsure in anyway as to what you should do next please contact us immediately (01435-882219 24 hours a day) and one of our team will be able to advise and assist.

In the event of an ‘Expected Death’ at:

Home

• During working hours contact the deceased’s doctor’s surgery to advise them that death has occurred. Depending on the time of day the surgery should arrange for a doctor, or suitably qualified person (e.g. registered nurse; hospice nurse; paramedic) to attend to formally confirm that life is extinct. If death occurs out of hours you will need to follow the pre-recorded instructions as given by the surgery.
• Once permission has been given by a suitably qualified person that the deceased can be moved please contact our C. Waterhouse & Sons or Heathfield Funeral Service – 24 hour service, and we will arrange for members of our team to attend to move the deceased into our care at the earliest opportunity, which will vary depending on the time of day.
• Please refer to the important ‘Registering the Death’ section below, which details where, how and who can formally register the death.

Nursing Home / Hospice

• If a resident dies in a nursing home a GP or qualified nurse on duty can verify death has occurred, however not all care/nursing homes have suitably qualified staff on duty.
• Most nursing homes will record the resident’s wishes on their care plan. This will also specify the chosen Funeral Director and if they are to be cremated or buried.
• With the family’s and doctor’s permission, the deceased can be transferred to the Funeral Director’s care.
• Please refer to the important ‘Registering the Death’ section below, which details where, how and who can formally register the death.

Hospital

• If death occurs in a hospital, the doctors and nurses will liaise with the Hospital Bereavement/Patient Affairs Office, who will arrange the appropriate paperwork. You should notify the Bereavement/Patient Affairs Office Team which funeral director you have appointed and once the formalities have been completed, they will notify the funeral director when it is appropriate to collect the deceased. In some cases a Release Form may need to be signed by the next of kin to give the Funeral Director authority to convey the deceased from the hospital back into our care.
• Please refer to the important ‘Registering the Death’ section below, which details where, how and who can formally register the death.

In the event of an ‘Unexpected, Sudden, or Unexplained Death’

• If a death is unexpected, sudden, or unexplained please dial 999 and request an ambulance and police immediately, explaining the circumstances. In the event of an unexpected death occurring HM appointed Coroner will become involved who may order a post-mortem to be carried out to establish an accurate cause of death. The Coroner’s officer will keep you informed should this be the case and will also liaise with us as your appointed funeral director.
• Please note that the registration of death process in the event of an unexpected death is different to that of an expected death and therefore it is best to talk to one of our team, who will explain the different possible scenarios, depending on the individual circumstances at that time.

Registering the Death

The biggest change to Death Certification in England and Wales for over 50 years will commence on 9th September 2024.

After 9th September 2024, all deaths (except stillborn babies) in England and Wales will be scrutinised either by a Coroner (for unexpected and unexplained deaths) or by a Medical Examiner (for all other deaths). Bereaved families will be able to speak with a Medical Examiner or their Officers and express any concerns they may have about the death.

In some parts of England and Wales, a non-statutory Medical Examiner system has been in place for several years and is working well. Medical Examiners were initially introduced into NHS hospital settings, and have been rolled out into the wider community in some areas. During this non-statutory period there were no changes to the statutory paperwork required for death registration, burials or cremations.

From 9th September the non-statutory system will become statutory resulting in slight changes to the burial and cremation paperwork needing to be completed by various parties. The new scheme is designed to simplify the process, whilst exercising a tighter control over establishing the cause of death.

THE NEW PROCEDURE

Following a death any trained healthcare professional (i.e. doctor, registered nurse or paramedic) must attend to confirm a person has died.

• After being notified the registered GP will then have to complete the new cause of death certificate (all GP’s have these forms which will now require more information).
  Regardless of when the GP last saw the deceased as long they have the persons’ medical history they can complete this form.
  It is not a legal requirement now for the GP to see the deceased after death.
• The new cause of death certificate will then be sent/emailed by the GP to the new Medical Examiner officers, along with the deceased recent medical history. They will review the details and then speak with the deceased’s family to go through the medical notes to hopefully agree what has been stated as the cause of death.
• This will then be confirmed and signed by the new Medical Examiner and is sent to the Registrar.
• If cremation has been chosen there will now be no need for the Doctor to complete the Form 4 Medical Certificate.
• Once the Registrar has received the cause of death form from the Medical Examiner they will contact the family to arrange for the death to be formally registered in the normal way. The person responsible for registering the death has 5 working days from being notified to complete the registration process.
• At any stage during the process if the cause of death is unclear, or in the case of a sudden nature or unexpected the death may be referred to the Coroner for further investigation.

REGISTRATION

The death is normally registered in the district the death occurred, although it is possible for it to be transferred to a more local Registrar if required.

The procedure for registering a death is a simple interview with a Registrar who will require the following information:

• Date and place of birth and death.
• Full name of the deceased (including maiden name, if appropriate).
• Home address of the deceased.
• The marital status of the deceased.
• The occupation of the deceased.
• If married, the spouse’s full name and occupation.
• The deceased’s National Insurance Number.

If you are unsure of some of the above information the Registrar will understand and in most cases still allow you to register the death.

You will purchase original death certificates from the Registrar for the purpose of closing the deceased’s estate and affairs (currently £12.50 each). Normally 3 or 4 are adequate as most organisations will need to see an original and will then return it. You will also be able to obtain more at a later date

WHO CAN REGISTER A DEATH?

• Any relative of the deceased.
• A person present at the death.
• The owner or person in charge of the home or Nursing home were the death occurred.
• The person arranging the funeral (not a Funeral Director).

During a time of bereavement we realise that careful guidance and advice is essential and therefore would assure you of our desire to look after every request a family may have.

If a death occurs at home or at a care home our professional staff are available 24hrs a day to attend. We are aware of the need to be discreet and respectful at all times.

We fully understand the new registration of death procedure and would be pleased to answer any enquiries or questions on our 24-hour telephone service.

Please note that you will need to pre-book an appointment to go to the Registrar’s office to formally register a death. (Registration by telephone is not permitted)

• For registration in Kent go online using the website link below taking you to the ‘Births, Ceremonies and Deaths’ page.

Telephone 03000 41 51 51

Register a death – Kent County Council

•  For registration in East Sussex either telephone the number below for an appointment, or go online using the website link below taking you to the ‘Births, Deaths, Marriages and Citizenship’ page.

Telephone 0345 60 80 198

https://new.eastsussex.gov.uk/registration/deaths/register-a-death/book-an-appointment

• If a death is sudden, unexpected or unexplained, it will be referred to HM Coroner.  In such cases the death cannot be registered until the Coroner’s investigations are complete. 

Following registration the Registrar will email a ‘Certificate for Burial or Cremation’ (known as the ‘GREEN FORM’) direct to the Funeral Director. This form is the legal documentation that completes the formal registration process, which is submitted by your appointed funeral director to the crematorium or church/cemetery authorities, prior to the funeral service taking place.

Copies of the Death Certificate may be purchased from the Registrar which provides proof of the death for legal purposes. These reasons may include accessing pension benefits, dealing with and closing bank accounts and investments, claiming life insurance and settling the estate of the deceased person.

How soon can the funeral take place?

In most cases you should allow 10-15 working days to make all the funeral arrangements and notify family and friends. Our advice is not to rush and for families to try to take time in getting everything sorted, at what is of course an incredibly difficult period in anyone’s lives.  At certain times of the year seasonal factors may also directly influence the time in which cremations, in particular, can take place, which may result in a longer than normal period before the funeral can take place. Either way, we will endeavour to work to your timescales and we will support and advise you in your decisions right through the process.