The procedure

Contacting the funeral director

No one is obliged to hire a funeral director (undertaker) to organise a funeral, but there is a distinct advantage in doing so: funeral directors are skilled professionals, who can steer the bereaved through the entire process.

They know the options that are available, the choices that need to be made, and the formalities that have to be completed.

So it is a good idea to contact a funeral director as soon as the death is confirmed.

Medical Certificate of Death

The first formality to be completed after a death is the doctor's certificate, which establishes the cause of death. If the death occurs at home, or at a nursing home, a doctor must be called. If it occurs in a hospital, nursing staff will call the next-of-kin and make arrangements for the certificate.

Obtaining a Medical Certificate of Death should present no problems if the cause of death is clear. For a sudden and unexpected death, however, the cause of death may be more difficult to establish. It may require an investigation by a coroner (in Scotland, a procurator fiscal) and possibly a post-mortem, which will usually take place at a hospital mortuary; these are standard procedures, and you will be guided through the process by the authorities.

Where the body goes

Once the Medical Certificate of Death has been issued, the body of the deceased can be transferred by the funeral directors to their premises. The funeral directors will liaise with hospitals about this transfer.

If relatives wish to view the body at the funeral parlour, undertakers can prepare the body and arrange for it to viewed in their chapel of rest.

It should be noted that relatives can, if they wish, keep the body at home prior to the funeral; this was the practice in the past, but has become far less common today.

Contacting a solicitor

It is advisable to contact the family solicitor as soon as possible after a death, to check whether the deceased has drawn up a will, and whether the will stipulates any preferences for funeral arrangements. In addition, the solicitor can advise you about legal obligations, such as the registration of death, as well as other matters that may need to be attended to.

Broadly speaking, solicitors (like funeral directors) can play an invaluable role in making things run smoothly by knowing their part in the process, and directing you to the next stage.

Registering a death

All deaths have to be formally registered with a Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages within five days (this can be extended only if a coroner's report is pending, in which case the certification process is slightly different); eight days are allowed in Scotland.

The local authority can tell you where to find your local registrar, or you can consult www.direct.gov.uk. Certain documents will be required for this registration, the most important of which is the Medical Certificate of Death. Also helpful (if available) are the deceased's birth certificate, marriage certificate and National Heath Service medical card.

On completion of the formalities, the registrar will issue a green Certificate for Burial or Cremation; the funeral cannot take place without this – nor indeed can the date of the funeral be confirmed until this certificate has been issued.

The registrar will also issue a Certificate of Registration of Death (Death Certificate); it is a good idea to get several officially-authenticated copies of this certificate, as it may well be required as proof of death for legal and financial purposes. (The certification process is slightly different in Scotland.)

Funeral arrangements

Even greater latitude is permitted for funeral ceremonies. Basically, you can do what you like. Conventional funeral ceremonies, based on religious traditions, offer the comfort and elegance of time-honoured patterns. Even here, various options can be considered. For instance, if the deceased is to be cremated, a service can take place in a church, followed by a more private service at the crematorium; alternatively, the cremation can take place first, followed by a memorial service in a church.

Some people may feel that a non-religious ceremony is more appropriate; see the separate article entitled "Non-religious funerals".

Letting people know

The bereaved should do their best to let as many people as possible know about the death. This usually means telephoning close relatives, friends and work colleagues; they can in turn help by passing on the news, especially if asked to do so.

One traditional way of reaching a broader public is to put an announcement in a national or local newspaper. Printed announcements can also be mailed to everyone in the deceased's address book. It is important, above all, that those who might wish to attend the funeral are informed.

Who else should be informed

Various authorities, businesses and institutions also need to be informed about the death. These include insurance and pension companies, the social services, the tax authorities, the local authority (for Council Tax), banks, building societies and other financial institutions, utility companies, any business receiving direct debit payments or standing orders, professional associations, and so on. A passport or driving licence should be returned to the relevant authorities, and car registration papers need to be altered to show changed ownership.

This task may look mountainous, but common sense will be a good guide as to whom should be contacted, and the priorities; less obvious candidates will reveal themselves through standing orders in bank accounts and through the post over a relatively short period of time.

Disposal of possessions

How the deceased's estate is divided is governed by the will. Such matters will be settled by the solicitor appointed to handle the will, and the executors. The process will, inevitably, take some time, even if the will is quite clear. If the deceased has not made a will (is 'intestate') the process takes even longer; the distribution of possessions is then governed by law, based on a hierarchy of family relationships.

Further practical help

All deaths are unique, and are shaped by personal circumstances. If you encounter difficulties in making arrangements, in the formalities, in legal or financial matters, you can seek help from the Citizens Advice Bureau: www.adviceguide.org.uk

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