The Death Certificate is confirmation of registration of a death in the UK. A significant change to the process of obtaining it was introduced on 9 September 2024. Now, a Medical Examiner is needed to certify every death except those which come before a coroner. The MCCD (Medical Certificate of Cause of Death) requires two signatures to ensure that it is valid. In most cases the first signature will be the person called the ‘Attending [Medical] Practitioner’. The Attending Practitioner will be either a doctor in the hospital or nursing home, or the GP if death occurs at home. The second signature by way of confirmation will be that of the relevant Medical Examiner. Further, the new MCCDs look rather different from the previous short-term death certificates, as they set out detailed information and run to several pages.
The family do need to be quick in registering a death: subject to the different procedure where deaths are referred to a coroner (see below), up to five days after contact by the Medical Examiner are allowed in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, whereas it is eight days in Scotland. The fee is: £12.50 in England and Wales, £10 in Scotland and £8 in Northern Ireland.
I wonder how many of my LinkedIn readers are well prepared, in terms of leaving in an easily accessible place the information and the documents listed below?!
On registering the death the Registrar will provide a certificate for burial or cremation (the ‘Green Form’), which the Minister or other person arranging the burial or cremation will
need as permission, as will the Funeral Director. While anyone can apply for a copy of a Death Certificate, only certain individuals may register a death, namely: relatives; a partner living with the deceased; someone present at the death; if the death happens at a private home, someone living there; the person arranging the funeral; a personal representative; or, if the death occurred in hospital or a nursing home or care home; an official from that institution.
England and Wales
The Medical Examiner will email the MCCD to the General Register Office appropriate to the deceased’s postcode. The Medical Examiner will then telephone (or email) the applicant to confirm that that has been done, so enabling the applicant to make an appointment to see the Registrar.
The Registrar will want to know from the applicant:
- the deceased’s full name
- any previous names, for example, maiden name
- date and place of birth
- their last address
- their occupation if not retired
- the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse/civil partner
- whether the deceased was receiving a State pension or other benefits.
It is helpful if the applicant can take to the Registrar:
- Birth Certificate
- NHS Card or medical number
- Council Tax Bill
- Driving licence
- Passport
- Marriage/Civil Partnership certificate where applicable
- Details of state pension or other Benefits being paid at date of death
- Proof of address, eg utility bill
Production of the above documents is not essential, though the information given within them must be produced, along with some other details.
Scotland
The death is registered at a Registration Office: the local one can be found from www.nrscotland.gov.uk. The Registration Office will offer the applicant either an in-office appointment or the ability to register the death by telephone or during an online call. The information needed will be as above, plus the full name and address of the deceased’s doctor. Essential documents will be the MCCD, Birth Certificate and (if applicable) Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificate, together with the NHS no (not necessarily the Certificate). As well as being forwarded to the Registration Office, the MCCD can also be emailed to the applicant.
Northern Ireland
The process is similar. The doctor who signs the MCCD will pass the applicant’s details to the Registrar, for the Registrar to contact the applicant, to enable him/her to make an appointment at the appropriate Registration Office, taking along the Death Registration Form. For further details see www.nidirect.gov.uk.
A sudden or unexpected death
A Coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) may be appointed to investigate the circumstances of the death, both for official purposes and to provide some understanding (if not comfort) to family and friends. Once the investigation has been completed, the Coroner will issue a notification allowing application to be made to register the death.
Deaths outside the UK
Here it will be the laws of the country where the death took place which will determine what needs to happen.
The moral?
So, it is not a bad idea to leave with your papers a list of the necessary information/documents, for use when the time comes, perhaps in a safe with details of how to access them. Typically, you will replace the council tax bill from time to time and you are likely to have your driving licence in your wallet or purse.
