Yes, before a funeral can take place, you must have a death certificate and a certificate of burial or cremation, which you must pass to your funeral provider.
You can begin to make funeral arrangements, and the funeral provider can pick up the deceased and take them into their care, but without a death certificate or a certificate of burial or cremation, a funeral - whether it's a burial, cremation or direct cremation - cannot take place.
Any delay in obtaining a death certificate will result in the delay of a funeral and you may receive a fine.
A death certificate is a document you obtain after registering a death in the UK. The death certificate is an essential document required before arranging any type of funeral.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the death needs to be registered within five days. In Scotland, it’s eight days.
You can begin getting preliminary funeral arrangements in place before the death has been officially registered, but a date for the funeral can not be scheduled until the death has been registered.
For more information, call our team on freephone 01543 211997.
Obtain the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Once the death has occurred, you will need to have the death confirmed by a doctor. The doctor will then issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. If the death was unexpected or suspicious, the death will be referred to the coroner. The coroner will advise you on your next step.
Contact the register office
You can obtain the death certificate by visiting any register office in the UK, but it will be quicker to use one in the area where the person died. A death certificate cannot be obtained online. As there are different procedures for obtaining death certificates in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, your local register office will be able to provide you with accurate information and guidance. Find your local register office here.
Schedule an appointment
Some register offices require you to make an appointment to obtain your death certificate and in some districts you can complete this over the phone. A relative, a person present at the death or a person arranging the funeral are all legally able to register the death.
Gather correct documentation
The following information is required to obtain a death certificate: the full name and surname, date and place of birth, occupation (even if retired), address and Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. In the case of a married person, the full name and date of birth of their spouse, and their occupation is also needed.
Be aware of extra fees
Obtaining the death certificate is free, although you will have to pay for any additional copies. The prices for death certificates vary, depending on where in the UK you are based. In England and Wales, it’s £11, £8 in Northern Ireland and £10 in Scotland.
Acknowledge the waiting time
Processing times for obtaining a death certificate can fluctuate based on the workload of the register office. Often it takes no longer than 30 minutes, however there are situations where you might have to wait a few days.
It's easy to get a little overwhelmed at the sight of all the funeral paperwork that needs to be completed and all the jargon that you might encounter.
So here are a few quick definitions to make things easier:
After you’ve registered the death, obtained the death certificate and a certificate of burial or cremation, you can go ahead with arranging the funeral. The burial or cremation form will need to be completed, but if you are using a funeral provider like Distinct Cremations, we can help you with the paperwork.
At Distinct Cremations, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Our expert customer service specialists will help to point you in the right direction and provide as much support and guidance as you need throughout the process, whenever you need us, 24 hours of the day, 7 days a week.
Our highly-trained and experienced team support families experiencing a bereavement each day. With a wealth of knowledge and experience gained by supporting families, we'll guide you on what you'll need to do and help to ease your burden by liaising with any hospitals and local authorities to get all of the information needed to keep moving forward.
Want more information? We're happy to answer any questions you may have about our funeral cremations over the phone, or you can request a free guide for details about what we offer.
Want to talk through our options? If you have questions or would like some in-person support we’re just a call away.
Speak to our team
Need some time to digest the details? You can download a PDF of our guide online or get a printed copy posted out.
Get our guideBefore someone dies, getting an understanding of what to do when someone dies, can help to ease the stress and confusion that you may face. Here's a handy checklist that will be of help with the legal requirements and the overall logistics for when the time comes.
Here at Distinct Cremations, we have created a free checklist for you to download which lets you know what you need to do when someone dies.
Below are a few more resources that may help when it comes to funeral documentation and organising a funeral.
There are a number of documents that need to be completed before a funeral can take place including three different cremation forms. Our article below will detail which forms you need to complete and how our team can help.
The required funeral documents
There are legal formalities that need to be completed shortly after someone dies. It may be the last thing you want to be doing at a time of mourning, but they're a necessary step before you can make any funeral arrangements.
How to register a death
Choosing a funeral provider is never easy, so we've created a table comparing the best funeral providers' key features and inclusions to help you compare, contrast and choose the right funeral provider for you.
Compare funeral providersBelow are a selection of reviews from those who have purchased a funeral through Distinct Cremations.
Oak Tree Court, Brookfield Drive, Cannock, WS11 0JN
