What to do when someone dies: a step-by-step guide for the first days
In the days immediately after someone dies, it can feel as though there is an overwhelming amount to organise, often while you are still absorbing the loss itself. In reality, very little has to happen straight away, and nothing needs to be rushed. This guide sets out, gently and in order, what generally needs to happen in England and Wales in the days that follow, so you have a clear sense of what to expect and when.
What happens first depends largely on where the death took place. If someone dies in hospital or in a care home, staff there will usually take care of the immediate practical steps and can guide you on what happens next. If a death happens at home and was expected, for example following a known illness, you can call the person's GP or NHS 111 for advice on what to do; if it was sudden or unexpected, call 999. You do not need to arrange a funeral director immediately, but you can contact one at any point from this early stage simply to move your loved one into their care while you take the next steps at your own pace.
A doctor will need to confirm the cause of death and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Since a national scheme completed its rollout across England and Wales in September 2024, this certificate is now reviewed by an independent senior doctor known as a medical examiner before it is sent on to the register office. This extra step is designed to give families an independent check on the certified cause of death and a chance to ask questions, and it is a normal, routine part of the process rather than a sign that anything is wrong.
Once the register office has received the certificate, you generally need to register the death within 5 days in England and Wales (the window is 8 days in Scotland). You will need to book an appointment at a register office, and this can usually be done by the person's spouse or civil partner, a relative, someone present at the death, or the person dealing with the estate. It helps to bring along basic details about the person who died — full name, date and place of birth, last address, occupation, and details of a surviving spouse or civil partner if relevant. At the appointment, it is worth buying a few extra certified copies of the death certificate, since banks, pension providers and insurers will often each want to see an original.
While you are at the register office, ask about the Tell Us Once service. It is free, and the registrar can either complete it with you there and then or give you a reference number to use online within 28 days. Tell Us Once passes the information on to most of the relevant government departments and local council services in one go — commonly including HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Passport Office, the DVLA, council tax and the electoral register — so you are not left repeating the same details to several organisations separately at an already difficult time.
In most cases, none of this involves a coroner. A death is referred to a coroner mainly when the doctor did not see the person during the illness that caused their death, or did not see them within the 28 days before they died; when the cause of death is unknown or unclear; or when the death was sudden, violent or unnatural — for example following an accident, or in circumstances such as suicide or death in custody. If this happens, the coroner may arrange a post-mortem examination. Where the death turns out to have been from natural causes, the coroner simply sends the necessary paperwork to the register office and no further action is needed, allowing you to register the death and move ahead with the funeral in the usual way. Where it does not, an inquest may be required — this does not necessarily hold up the funeral itself, since a coroner can often release the person into your care once their initial enquiries are complete, even if the inquest takes longer to conclude.
There is no need to have everything decided at once. A funeral director can talk you through the paperwork alongside you, explain anything that is unclear, and take on much of the coordination so that you have space to grieve. Taking things one step at a time, in the order they naturally come up, is entirely normal, and is exactly how this process is meant to work.
Frequently asked questions
Generally within 5 days of the register office receiving the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (8 days in Scotland). If a coroner is involved, this timeframe can be different, and the register office or coroner's officer will explain what applies in your situation.
It is a free service that reports a death to most relevant government departments and council services in one go, rather than you contacting each separately. The registrar can complete it with you when you register the death, or give you a reference number to use online within 28 days.
Typically when the doctor had not seen the person recently for the condition that caused their death, when the cause is unclear, or when the death was sudden, violent or unnatural. If the cause turns out to be natural, the coroner passes paperwork to the register office and no further action is needed.
You generally need a death certificate, or an interim document from the coroner, before a burial or cremation can go ahead, so registration usually happens first. A funeral director can advise on timing for your specific circumstances, including when a coroner is involved.