Registering a death
Registering the death of a loved one is an emotional and difficult thing to do, but it is a necessary step that has to be taken. We will talk you through the steps to take below.
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Before you can register a death
Before you can register a death, you need to go through some initial steps so that the death is officially confirmed and a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is issued.
If you haven’t got that far, we’ve created this step by step guide to tell you what to do first when someone dies, so you know exactly where to start.
The steps to take vary depending on whether the death occurred at home, a care home or hospital. And if their death was sudden or unexpected.
Medical Examiner will contact you
The Medical Examiner is an independent senior Doctor. Their role is to review the medical records, speak to the treating Doctor and together agree on the wording for the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
Within a few days of the death, the Medical Examiner’s office will contact you by phone. They will explain to you what the cause of death will be recorded as, or if a Coroner referral is required.
You will have the opportunity to raise any questions about the cause of death or the care received.
Provided a Coroner referral is not required, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the register office local to the place of death.
A Medical Examiner Officer (if the death occurred at home or in a care home) or the bereavement team (for a death in hospital) will then call you to let you know the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been sent. You can now make an appointment with the Registrar.
Making an appointment with the registrar
The next step is to contact the local register office to make an appointment.
You usually need to register a person’s death within five days.
The appointment will take about 30 minutes.
You can book an appointment with the Rotherham Registry Office online. You will need an email address to do this.
Or, you can call them on 01709 823 542.
Who can register a death?
A relative, partner or personal representative of the person who has died will usually register the death.
The death can also be registered by:
- Someone who was present when the death occurred
- An occupant of the house/official from the hospital where the death occurred
- The person making the funeral arrangements
What information and documents are needed to register a death?
There is certain information and documents that are needed to register a death.
Information about the person who has died:
- Full name and time of death
- Any previous names, including maiden name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth (town and county if born in the UK, or country if born abroad)
- Address
- Occupation
- Full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving spouse or civil partner if applicable
- Whether they were receiving a state pension or any other state benefits
Documents you will need to take:
- The deceased’s birth certificate, passport or driving licence
- Proof of their address as the registrar will need to see these
- Marriage / civil partnership certificate, if applicable
Where to go to register the death?
You will need to register the death at the office local to the place where the person died.
You can use another office if you prefer, but it may take longer to get the necessary documents which could delay the funeral arrangements.
This is the address of the Register office in Rotherham:
Rotherham Register Office
Riverside House
Main Street
Rotherham
South Yorkshire
S60 1AE
What will the Registrar give you?
The Registrar will issue the following documents to you:
- A death certificate
- A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (called the green form) which is to be given to the funeral director
- Form BD8 relating to the Department for Work and Pensions
You may wish to purchase extra copies of the death certificate to satisfy the requirements of banks, insurance companies and pension providers.
They will also explain the Government’s Tell Us Once service, which allows you to report a death to most Government offices in one go.
Let us help you
We are here to help you in every way we can. Call us or contact us with any questions. For urgent assistance, call us on 01709 363 706, we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.