When they have just died

At home

Phone the person’s doctor, or the NHS helpline on 111. If the person dies unexpectedly, you must phone the emergency services on 999 immediately. In these circumstances, the death is usually referred to the coroner.

The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is usually provided by the Medical Practitioner who was treating the person who passed away. This certificate is then sent to a Medical Examiner, who checks the cause of death before the death can be officially registered.

In a care home

The care home will contact the doctor, who will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This will be sent to the Medical Examiner, who will review the cause of death before the death registration can take place.

In hospital

If the death was expected and does not need to be referred to the coroner, a hospital doctor will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This will be sent to the Medical Examiner, who will review the cause of death before the death registration can take place.

Contacting a funeral director

If you want to use a funeral director’s services, you can contact them at any point. You should not book a date for the funeral until you have an appointment booked to register the death. There is more information on funeral directors in Section 3: Arrange the funeral.

Page last updated: 11 September 2024