Helpful Information

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a death should be registered by law within five days of its happening. Registration can be delayed for a further nine days provided the registrar receives, in writing, confirmation that a medical certificate of the cause of death has been signed by the doctor.

In reality this may take longer, but do contact us, we are here to help.

Factors delaying the registration can include:

• Availability of the doctor
• Availability of appointments in the registration district
• Increase in the number of deaths
• Consultation with or investigation by H.M. Coroner 

One of the following persons has a legal obligation to register the death:

• a relative of the deceased
• an executor of a will
• a person present at the death
• a person arranging the funeral (not the undertaker)

In certain circumstances others, such as the administrator of an elderly persons residential or care home can register a death, for advice please contact the Register Office.

You must register a death in the district / sub district where the death took place, although it is possible to give a declaration of the details to be registered to a registrar in another area. The Registrars in the districts listed below will contact the next of kin / informant to arrange an appointment to register the death.

• North East Lincolnshire Registrars
• Lincolnshire Registrars
• North Lincolnshire Registrars

• Full name
• Address
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Occupation
• Maiden surname, if applicable

If the person who has died was married, widowed or in a Civil Partnership the full names and occupation of the spouse/partner.

Under normal circumstances the informant must take to the registrars the medical certificate of cause of death issued by a doctor. If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the Coroner’s officer and / or the funeral director will advise you what to do.

If the deceased received a pension or allowance from public funds, eg: Civil service or army pension please inform the registrar.

Documents such as birth certificate, driving licence, passport, marriage certificate and utillity bill are all acceptable documents when registering a death.

How the new service ‘Once is all it takes‘ can help

When someone has died, there are lots of things that need to be done, one of those things is contacting the government departments and local authority services that need to be told.

Local Councils are working with other Government departments offering a new service ‘Once is all it takes‘  which is hoped will make things easier. This new service means that having told the Registrar he or she we will then tell a number of organisations.

Each certified copy of the Death Certificate is £12.50, usually obtained at the time of registration. They can be obtained at a later date from the General Register Office (GRO) or the register office where the death was registered.

The number required is dependent upon the circumstances.

• If the notification can be done in person, i.e. visiting the relevant bank, then the bank should make a copy of the certificate, endorse it and return the original certificate to you. The certificate can then be used again in similar circumstances, if required, and then retained in safe keeping.
• If the notification has to be carried out by post or on line, i.e. insurance or private pension, then only a certified copy can be used, photo copies and digital copies are not acceptable. The relevant office will advise accordingly.
• Executors of the estate may also need a certified copy.