When a death occurs at home

The doctor will attend and confirm the death. The attending doctor will determine if the deceased may be released into our care or if the coroner needs to be informed. Once the doctor’s approval has been given to bring the deceased into our care, contact us so we can arrange a time to come to you.

Contact us

When a death occurs at hospital

When a death occurs in a hospital, contact the hospital’s Patient Affairs or Bereavement Centre who will explain what happens next.

When a death occurs in a care/nursing home

If a death has occurred in a care/nursing home, the nursing staff will contact the doctor and arrange for them to confirm the death. The nursing staff will also call the funeral director nominated by the family to arrange the collection of the deceased and transfer into their care.

The coroner

If the deceased has not been attended by his/her doctor within 14 days or death occurs suddenly, then the death will be reported to the coroner for the area where the death took place. The coroner will have to establish the cause of death; this is normally done by a post-mortem examination. The deceased will remain under the coroner’s jurisdiction until the cause of death has been established and only then will the coroner release the deceased for the funeral to take place. The family will be assigned a coroner’s officer who will liaise with them throughout the process. The coroner’s officer will advise the family when they can register the death. The coroner’s court will issue the death certificate.

Coffins

Registration

Registering a Death
Registration of death must be completed within five working days of the death, and ideally should be done as soon as possible. You will need to contact the registry office in the district where the death occurred. If you live further away, you can register by declaration at your local registry office. Please note that most registry offices require you to make an appointment.
What Happens After
Once registration is complete, the registrar will issue a certificate, often referred to as the “green form.” We will need this form, although it is not required to begin making funeral arrangements. Please feel free to contact WF Dolman and Son Funeral Directors either before or after you have received the certificate — we are here to help and guide you through every step.

Call us on 01225 444110 for more information on registration of death in Bath or surrounding areas