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Registering a death

 
Deaths in England and Wales should be registered within 5 days.

What do I need to do?

Firstly, you need to make an appointment with the registrar. You can contact the Register Office by phone or email using the details on the right.

You can download the form you need to apply for a death certificate, or we can give you one when you visit the office.

What do I need to bring?

You need to bring along the medical certificate of cause of death.

Sometimes the coroner needs to be involved and, if so, the registrar cannot register the death until the coroner has completed any investigation that he or she decides is necessary.

Stillbirths and neo natal deaths

A stillbirth in England and Wales must normally be registered within 42 days. It cannot be registered more than 3 months after its occurrence. Please see our page on stillbirths and neo natal deaths for further information.

Notifying other Council departments

You may need to notify these Council departments of a death:

  • Advice and Benefits
  • Council Tax
  • Electoral Services
  • Mobility
If so, simply call the Council's contact centre on 020 8921 8949.

Further information

For more information on registering a death or stillbirth in the UK, please see the General Register Office website.

Arranging a funeral

If you have been recently bereaved, and need to arrange a funeral, please see our Funeral services pages.

Sudden or unexplained deaths

Please see our Coroners page.

Mortuary service

The mortuary handles deaths that have been referred to the Coroner or deaths where no death certificate can be issued. Please see our Mortuary service page.

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