When someone dies, the doctor who was treating the deceased will issue a medical certificate of cause of death to the relatives. The person who will be registering the death must take this certificate to the registrar's office. Occasionally, if the death was sudden or the doctor treating the deceased is unavailable, it may not be possible for a medical certificate of cause of death to be issued. If this happens, the death will have to be reported to the coroner which may lead to a delay in registering the death.
Under normal circumstances the responsibility for registering a death falls upon the relatives of the deceased. There are occasions where other persons may be called upon to carry out this duty, eg, where there are no relatives or the relatives are elderly or infirm. These other persons would include someone who was present with the deceased when they died, or the person making the funeral arrangements (not the funeral director).
For further clarification on who may register a death contact the Register Office either by phone on (01302) 364922 or by email at Registrars@doncaster.gov.uk.
Please note that Doncaster Register Office operates an appointment system - please telephone for an appointment before attending at the office.
Every death in England or Wales must be registered in the district in which it takes place within 5 days of the date of death. Information for the registration is given to the registrar by the person registering the death. The information, which is usually recorded on computer, is also recorded in the death register and the person registering the death signs the record.
You will need to provide the following information about the deceased:
You will need to bring a medical certificate of cause of death issued by a doctor, unless the death has been referred to the coroner, in which case the coroner’s officer will advise you what to do.
You will need to inform the registrar if the deceased was receiving a pension from public funds, eg, civil service or army pension.
Deaths are always registered in the district in which the death occurred. For deaths in Doncaster the registrar is located at: The Register Office, Elmfield Park, South Parade, Doncaster. If, however, you live some distance away and would find it difficult to travel here to register the death there is provision whereby you may give the information for the registration to your local registrar.
He/she will then send the information to us to be entered into our registers here. In such a case you will receive no certificates or documents for the funeral director, etc, at the time of giving the information. These will be forwarded by post after the death has been registered. This may cause delays for you in organising the funeral.
Which deaths need to be reported to the coroner?
A small number of deaths have to be reported to the coroner before they can be registered and before the document allowing the funeral to go ahead can be issued. The following are the deaths that, if not already reported to the coroner by someone else, will be reported by the registrar:
Once a death has been reported to the coroner, the registrar cannot go ahead with the registration until the coroner has decided whether any further investigation into the death is necessary. In the vast majority of cases no further investigation is necessary and the registration can be completed straightaway.
After the death has been registered you will be given a green form to deliver to the funeral director and a white form for the Social Security Office (Benefits Agency). Death certificates are also available for a fee of £3.50 each, at the time of registration, or at any time afterwards, but if more than a month has passed since the register containing the entry has been filled by the registrar, the price will be £7.00 (prices quoted are valid to 31/3/2010).
If a body is to be taken out of England and Wales, notice must be given to the coroner for the area where the body is lying. There is no restriction on the removal of bodies within England and Wales, but notice is necessary where the removal is to Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, as well as abroad.
A Form of Notice (form 104) may be obtained from a registrar or a coroner. Any certificate for burial or cremation already issued by the registrar or the coroner must be given to the coroner with the notice.
The coroner will acknowledge receipt of the notice and say when the removal of the body may take place. This will normally be after four clear days from when the coroner received the notice. If it is urgent, the person giving notice to the coroner should speak to him or her personally since it may be possible to allow the removal sooner than the four days.
Further advice about registering a death in England or Wales may be obtained from your local registrar or from:
General Register Office, Room D209, Smedley Hydro, Trafalgar Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2HH
Telephone: 0151 471 4805 | Email: registering.deaths@ons.gov.uk
Should you require clarification of any of the points raised above, or you are uncertain how to proceed with the registration of a relative’s death, please contact this office, either by phone on (01302 364922) or by email at
registrars@doncaster.gov.uk and we will gladly give you any further advice or information you want.
