• During the death registration appointment , the Registrar will explain about the Tell Us Once ( TUO ) service . This is a free , optional service provided by the Government . Following the registration , initial information will be completed by the Registrar which is then passed to the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ). The Registrar will give you a unique reference number for the Tell Us Once service which will enable you to go online or telephone the service to give them more information about the deceased . The Tell Us Once service will then notify other central government and local council departments on your behalf
• Contact a funeral director , if you intend to use one . They can move the deceased to a Chapel of Rest if you so wish . However , you do not need to employ a funeral director if you would rather organise the funeral yourself . If this is what you would prefer , you will need to contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your local authority for advice and guidance . Help and information can also be found on the Natural Death Centre ’ s website : www . naturaldeath . org . uk
• Begin arrangements for the funeral – you should check the will for any special requests
• Contact the executor as soon as you can to enable them to start the process of obtaining probate if necessary . The executor is usually nominated in the will . Further information regarding probate can be found on page 22 of this guide
• If there is no will , decide who will apply to sort out the deceased ’ s estate . This person should then contact the Probate Registry to apply to sort out the deceased affairs and apply for ‘ letters of administration ’ if necessary .
Who can register a death ?
What information will you need to give the Registrar about yourself as the person registering ?
• your relationship to the deceased , for example : son , daughter , widow , surviving civil partner , widower , niece , nephew
• your full name
• your usual address .
The information you provide to the Registrar must be true and correct , to the best of your knowledge and belief .
It is important to provide correct information , because it costs up to £ 99 for a correction to be considered , plus £ 12.50 each for any corrected certificates .
The death can be registered by :
• A relative or partner of the deceased
• Someone who was present at the death
• An occupant of the nursing / residential home / official from the hospital where the death took place
• The person making the funeral arrangements
• The person who found the body
• The person in charge of the body
• A ‘ representative ’ of the deceased ( a person appointed by and acting on behalf of the family )
Most deaths are registered by a relative or partner of the deceased . The Registrar would normally only allow one of the other people listed above to register the death if a relative or partner was not available .
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