Arranging the Funeral
We know that the funeral of a loved one is the final dedication of their life. That’s why our service to you begins from the first time you contact us.
We can provide all the advice and guidance you need to make the funeral service the best it can be, at a difficult time.
On the first contact we will ask for preliminary details only. We would then make an appointment for the funeral director to meet with you to arrange the funeral service,
either at our office or in the comfort of your own home if that is more convenient.
We will offer advice to help you decide the type of funeral you want for your loved one - low cost direct cremation, a traditional funeral or woodland burial.
Advice to families who have suffered a bereavement.
What to do when somebody dies in hospital, at home, in a nursing home or suddenly
Bereavement is one of life’s most challenging experiences and we appreciate that it can be a difficult time to make decisions on the funeral arrangements in this early stage of the bereavement.
There are certain practical matters that have to be taken care of. We hope the information given below will be informative and useful.
Please remember this is purely a guide and we will answer any questions that might arise, so do not hesitate to contact us
on : 01782 636338 (Staffordshire) 01270 588980 (Cheshire) or freephone 08081788832 (24 Hrs)
In Hospital
In Hospital
If the death occurs in hospital, the hospital nursing staff will contact the person named by the deceased as their next of kin.
The next of kin can then expect contact with the hospital Bereavement Office, who will advise whether it has been possible for a doctor to issue the medical certificate,
allowing the death to be registered. They will forward the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the Registrar
If the doctor who has been treating the deceased is unable to issue a medical certificate as to cause of death, then the death will then have to be reported to the Coroners Officer for the district in which the death occurred.
This is normally done on your behalf..
We can advise and guide you through the procedure for registering a death and the procedures if the coroner is involved.
At Home or in a Nursing Home
At Home or in a Nursing Home
If the death was expected you should make contact with the doctor whom attended the deceased during their final illness. If the death occurred at a Nursing Home, the staff will make contact with the doctor for you.
If at this stage the doctor cannot issue a medical certificate as to cause of death then this will be treated as an uncertified death, (please see below, Suddenly). .
If the death is referred to the Coroner’s Office in this instance, then we will make contact with the patient’s own doctor’s surgery. If the law enables them, they will issue the medical certificate as to cause of death to allow you to register the death.
Suddenly
If A Death Occurs Suddenly
In the case where a death occurs suddenly, call 999 for the ambulance service.
When it is required for the Coroner's Office to be informed, it is normal practice for a Police Officer to attend to prepare a report for submission to the Coroner's Officer.
The Police will then request that the Coroners contracted Funeral Director attend the premises. They will take the deceased to the relevant hospital to subsequently ascertain the medical cause of death.
At this stage, they will be attending at the Coroner's request, just to take the deceased into the care of the Coroner, NOT to make funeral arrangements with you.
You are still free to use whichever funeral director you wish for the funeral arrangements.
Once the police and coroners team have left the premises, you should then make contact with us on 01270 588980 (Cheshire) 01782 636338 (Staffordshire) or freephone 08081788832
You do not need to wait for the medial cause of death to be found before contacting your Funeral Directors, and our advice would be to make contact as soon as you can so that we can advise you what will happen next.
Coroner is Involved
The Coroner is involved
In any of the following circumstances, a doctor MUST report the death to the Coroner.
- An accident or injury.
- An industrial disease.
- During a surgical operation.
- Before recovering from an anaesthetic.
- If the cause of death is unknown.
- The death was sudden and unexplained.
If the person who has died has been admitted into hospital less than 24 hours before they died, the death MUST then be reported to the Coroner.
Advice after the bereavement.
There are practical matters which need to be addressed for the funeral to take place. You will need to register the death at the Registrar's office by appointment.
You can arrange to register the death by telephoning
Cheshire East area 0300 123 5019
North Staffs area 01782 235260
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Registering a Death
A death should normally be registered within 5 working days. You should contact the Register Office in the district where death occurred to make an appointment to register the death.
Who should register a death?
Wherever possible a close relative should register a death. If no relative is available then someone who was present at the death can register. If no such person is available the person making the funeral arrangements may register.
Registration of a death where the death occurs in a hospital
The larger hospitals, namely Leighton Hospital or North Staffs Hospital have Bereavement Services who will arrange the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
The Bereavement Services will arrange for the certificate to be sent to the Registrar
People to Inform
People to Inform
Many Register Offices offer the ‘Tell Us Once’ service and can help you pass on this information to the Department of Work and Pensions and other government departments and local services.
Organisations ‘Tell Us Once’ will contact
- HMRC – to deal with tax and cancel benefits.
- DWP – to cancel benefits e.g. income support.
- DVLA – to cancel a driving licence.
- Passport Office – to cancel a passport.
- Local Council – to cancel Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Blue Badge, to inform council housing services and remove the deceased from the electoral register.
