What happens at the Register Office

What information is required to register a death?

You will need to bring the medical certificate of the cause of death issued by a doctor or, if the death has been referred to the Coroner, the necessary certificate from the coroner's officer.

You will also need to provide the following information about the deceased:

• The date and place of the death
• The full name and surname together with any other names they might have been known by during their lifetime. This will include a maiden surname if applicable
• Their date and place of birth - locality, town/city, county or country (if not born in the UK)
• Their last gainful occupation
• Their address including the postcode
• If the person who has died was married or a widow/widower at the time that they died, the full names and last occupation of their husband/wife.
• The deceased's national health number which can be obtained from their General Practitioner
• If the person who has died was in receipt of a pension paid from H.M.Government funds then the Registrar will also need to know the pension reference number and the address of the department that pays the pension. For example: The Paymaster General issues pensions for employment by the Ministry of Defence (H.M.Dockyard); the Teacher's Pension Agency; Post Office pensions; service in HIM. Army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force

National statistics

The Registrar may ask you some information for the purpose of National Statistics. This information is required by the Population of Statistics Act but will not appear in the Registration itself.

Depending on the deceased's marital circumstances the registrar may ask you:

• The surviving husband/wife's date of birth
• The industry that the deceased last worked in, for example, teacher would work in education.
• Whether the deceased was employed and supervised others or not or whether they were self employed with employees or not
• If the deceased was resident in any form of communal establishment, such as a nursing or care home before they died and approximately how long they stayed there

The registrar who registers the death will give you:

• A certificate for burial or cremation (known as the green form) unless the coroner has given you an order for burial (form 101) or a certificate for cremation (form E). These give permission for the body to be buried or for an application for cremation to be made. It should be taken to the funeral director so that the funeral can be held.
• A certificate of registration of death (form BD8*). This is for social security purposes only. Read the information on the back of the certificate. If any of it applies, fill in the certificate and hand it to your Jobcentre, Jobcentre Plus or social security office.
• Leaflets about bereavement benefits and income tax for widows/widowers, where appropriate.

If you go to a Register Office other than the one for the subdistrict where the death took place and register the death by declaration, the above certificates will be sent to you.