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What To Do First When Someone Dies

The death of a loved one is a distressing experience, even if you are somewhat prepared for the event.  It is vitally important to know what to do first when someone dies. It is crucial that the situation is handled in a logical manner and that you take immediate action to implement the processes that need to follow the death of a loved one.

The first step is to inform local authorities that a death has occurred as soon as possible. Once you have informed the relevant local authority, it is then time to advise us that you require our services.

What Happens If The Death Occurs In Hospital?

If the death has taken place within a hospital, the hospital staff will be able to assist you with the process of obtaining a Death Certificate.

The body will be taken to the hospital mortuary. The hospital will issue a Death Certificate and a certificate to authorise burial or cremation. Once this has happened, you will need to inform us that the body is ready to be removed and taken to our funeral home.

What Happens If The Death Occurs At Home Or In A Nursing Home?

If the death happened at home or in a residential or nursing home, you will need to inform a doctor so they can attend and issue a death certificate.  Upon receiving the death certificate, you will need to inform us of the death. We will attend to remove the deceased and transport them to our funeral home.

If the family wishes, it is possible for the deceased to remain at home for a period of time after the death has occurred. Our funeral directors will attend to care for the body and perform a hygienic process.

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What Happens When A Coroner Is Involved?

The process outlined above will be subject to change if a coroner is involved.  If a coroner is involved, then we will advise on a case by case basis of the procedures involved.

Registering a Death

According to UK law, unless there are mitigating circumstances, the death of a person must be registered with the local Registration Office in the district where the death occurred. The act of registering a death must happen within 5 days, or 8 days in Scotland.

Upon registering a death, the registrar will issue a certificate to authorise burial or cremation.  This will need to be passed to the funeral director so the funeral arrangements can be finalised.

Arranging the Funeral

Once the immediate arrangements following a death as outlined above have been made, the funeral planning stage can begin.  If your loved one arranged a pre-paid funeral plan then we will take all their wishes into account.

If you are going to be planning the funeral then we will arrange a full funeral planning consultation. We are happy for the consultation to take place at your own home, or on site at our funeral home.

Contact Us Today

Contact us today if you have any queries or are interested in making arrangements for your loved one.

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