When a person passes away, there are three things that must be done in the first few days:

• A medical certificate must be obtained from the GP or hospital doctor (this is necessary to register the death).
• The death must be registered within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). You will then receive the necessary documents for the funeral.
• The funeral arrangements need to be made.

A death must be registered within 5 days.

If the death has been reported to the coroner they must give permission before registering the death.

You can register the death if you are a relative, a witness to the death, a hospital administrator or the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors.

You can use the Register a Death’ page on the gov.uk website that will guide you through the process. 

A Medical Certificate must be issued by the deceased's GP if they died in the community or a hospital doctor if they died in hospital. 

The GP will be notified by the attending healthcare party, or you can contact the surgery to notify them yourself.

The surgery will contact the Medical Examiner and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and email it directly to the Registration Office. 

We will endeavour to let you know when it has been sent and to expect contact from them. 

After you have registered the death, you will get a certificate for burial or cremation which you will need before a funeral can take place.

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself. 

Choose a funeral director who is a member of one of the following: 

• National Association of Funeral Directors
• Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

These organisations have a code of practice and must give you a price list when asked.

Funeral costs can include: 

• Funeral director fees.
• Disbursements or third-party costs, such as crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement. 
• Local authority burial or cremation fees.

The British Humanist Society can help with non-religious funerals. 

If you get certain benefits and need help paying for the funeral, you can get a Funeral Expenses Payment. 

If you want to arrange the funeral yourself, you will need to contact Wiltshire Council Cemetaries and Burial Service by calling 0300 456 0100. Visit The Natural Dealth Centre website for further information on arranging a funeral yourself. 

Please see below some helpful websites for bereavement support:

Bereavement Advice Centre

Telephone: 0800 634 9494

Provides support and advice to people on what they need to do after a death. It has lots of practical support and information around topics like registering a death, probate and legal issues.

Bereavement Support Network

Helps families, carers and friends find services and information following a loss.

Carer Support Wiltshire

Telephone: 08001 814118

Offers support for carers across Wiltshire and can offer support and advice even after your caring role changes. 

Cruse Bereavement Care

Telephone: 08088 081677

Support, advice and information for children, young people and adults when someone dies. They offer face-to-face, telephone, email and website support.   

Samaritans

Telephone: 116 123

Confidential support for anyone in a crisis: Samaritans will listen to you at any time of day or night. They are not there only for people who are feeling suicidal. They are there for anyone in distress.

SOBS (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide)

Telephone: 0300 111 5065

SOBS help overcome the isolation experienced by people who have been bereaved by suicide.

Child Death Helpline

Telephone: 0800 282 986

Befriending and emotional support for anyone affected by the death of a child, teenager or young adult.

The Compassionate Friends

Telephone: 03451 232304

Provide support for parents following the death of a child at any age.

The Good Grief Trust

National bereavement helpline: 0800 448 0800

Sudden bereavement helpline: 0800 2600 400

Help people suffering from grief in the UK.

The Royal United Hospital have a booklet with information for bereaved family and friends.

There are a number of hospices in Wiltshire who offer bereavement services to families known to them: 

Dorothy House Hospice

Telephone: 01225 722988

Prospect Hospice

Telephone: 01672 512915

Salisbury Hospice 

Telephone: 01722 425113

The Living Well Team

Our Living Well Team are available to support you. They will visit you, listen to you and encourage you to find groups and activities to help you find a sense of purpose following your loss.  Patients are able to refer themselves to the team directly by contacting 01249 462775 and choosing option 3 for additional support.