How to register a death in the UK

Registering a death is a legal requirement, and it must happen before a funeral can take place. The process is not complicated, but it does require the right documents and must be done in the right place. This guide walks you through it step by step — for deaths in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

When does the death need to be registered?

In England and Wales, a death must be registered within five days of the date of death. If a coroner is involved (for example, after a sudden or unexpected death), registration may be delayed until the coroner releases the body — the five-day clock is paused in this situation.

In Scotland, the deadline is eight days. In Northern Ireland, it is also five days.

Where to register

You must register the death at the register office for the area where the death occurred — not where the person lived. So if someone died in hospital in a different town, you register there, not in their home town.

In England and Wales, you can also register at any register office, which will then send the details to the correct one — but this may take longer and is not suitable when you need the death certificate urgently.

Appointments are usually required. Search for your local register office on your council's website, or use the gov.uk tool to find the nearest one.

Who can register a death?

In England and Wales, the death should be registered by one of the following (in order of preference):

1. A relative of the deceased present at the death
2. A relative of the deceased in attendance during the last illness
3. A relative of the deceased living in or near the area where the death took place
4. A person present at the death
5. The occupier of the premises where the death occurred (e.g. care home manager)
6. The person arranging the funeral (but not the funeral director)

In most cases, it is a close family member — a spouse, civil partner, adult child, or sibling — who registers the death.

What documents do you need to take?

You must bring:

• The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) — issued by the doctor who treated the person, or the hospital bereavement team. This is the most important document.

You should also bring as many of the following as possible (not all are required, but they help ensure the register entry is accurate):

• The deceased's NHS medical card
• Their birth certificate
• Their marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable)
• Any paperwork relating to pension or benefits they received

The registrar will ask you a series of questions to complete the entry. These include the deceased's full name (including any previous surnames), date and place of birth, occupation, address, and whether they received a pension or benefits.

What you receive after registering

After registration, you will be given:

• The death certificate (officially: a certified copy of the register entry). You can purchase additional copies at registration, which is usually much cheaper than ordering them later. Most banks, insurers, and solicitors require an original certified copy — not a photocopy.
• A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the "green form" in England and Wales) — this is given to the funeral director and allows the funeral to go ahead.
• A Tell Us Once reference number — see below.

How many death certificates do you need?

Most families order between 5 and 10 certified copies. You'll need one for each bank or building society account, one for any insurance or pension claim, one for the solicitor handling the estate, and one to keep. It is significantly cheaper to order copies at registration (currently £11 each in England and Wales) than to order more later.

Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report a death to most government departments and local council services in a single notification. Available in England, Scotland, and Wales (not Northern Ireland).

The registrar will give you a reference number to use the service online or by phone. It notifies:

• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) — to stop or adjust pension and benefits payments
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Passport Office — to cancel the passport
• The local council — for council tax, electoral roll, and any council-provided services
• Veterans UK — if the person received a war pension

You have 28 days from the date of registration to use Tell Us Once. Use it as soon as possible — it saves multiple phone calls and letters.

Registering in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland

In Scotland, the death is registered at the local register office for the area where the death took place. The deadline is eight days. The medical certificate is issued by a doctor and then countersigned by another doctor (the "medical referee"). Cremation requires additional paperwork. Contact the General Register Office for Scotland via nrscotland.gov.uk.

Northern Ireland

Deaths in Northern Ireland are registered at any district registrar's office. The deadline is five days. The process is similar to England and Wales. More information at the NI Direct website.

If the death occurred abroad

If your loved one died outside the UK, you should register the death according to the laws of the country where they died. You can also register the death in the UK through the consulate if the country has a relevant treaty with the UK — this allows the death to be recorded in UK records. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) can advise on the specific country's requirements.

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