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Registering
A Death
Registering a death is an important step after someone dies. At Unique Funerals, we can explain what happens next and help you prepare.
This guide covers deaths in England and Wales, including the changes introduced on 9 November 2026.
Registering A Death
Before you register
Unless the coroner is investigating, a doctor completes a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, which is checked by an independent medical examiner.
The medical examiner’s office will offer to explain the cause of death and answer any questions or concerns. The approved medical paperwork is then sent directly to the register office. You do not normally need to collect or deliver it yourself.
Wait until you have confirmation that the paperwork is ready before arranging registration.
When to register
A death should normally be registered within five calendar days of the register office receiving the approved medical certificate. This includes weekends and bank holidays.
You will be told when registration can take place. If you cannot meet the deadline, contact the register office promptly. Different arrangements apply if the coroner is investigating.
Registering in person or by telephone
From 9 November 2026, deaths in England and Wales are recorded in an official electronic register. You will be asked to check the information carefully and make a declaration confirming it is correct, rather than signing a paper register.
Registration services can now offer telephone appointments, which may allow you to register without travelling to the office. Telephone registration depends on local availability and your eligibility. In-person appointments remain available.
Contact the relevant register office to confirm your options. If you register by telephone, ask how any death certificates you purchase will be provided.
Where to register
Contact the register office for the district where the person died, rather than where they lived.
If attending that office would be difficult, ask about telephone registration or giving the information through another register office. The latter is known as registration by declaration and may delay the certificates and funeral paperwork.
Deaths in Salford
Salford’s registration team will contact the next of kin once the required paperwork has arrived. They will explain how to arrange the appointment.
Salford Register Office
Buile Hill Mansion
Buile Hill Park
Eccles Old Road
Salford
M6 8GL
Ask the team to confirm the appointment location and whether telephone registration is available.
Who can register
A relative or partner will usually register the death. Other people may qualify, including:
- Someone who was present when the person died.
- An appointed personal representative.
- The person responsible for arranging the burial or cremation.
- An appropriate representative of the hospital, care home or premises where the person died.
There are additional eligibility requirements for telephone registration. The register office will confirm who can register and which appointment options are available.
Information you will need
The registrar will ask for information about the person who died, including:
- Their full name, including previous names and maiden surname, where applicable.
- Their date and place of birth.
- Their date and place of death.
- Their usual home address.
- Their occupation and whether they were retired.
- Their marital or civil partnership status.
- Their spouse or civil partner’s details, where applicable.
- Whether they received a government pension or allowance.
You will also be asked for your name, address and relationship to the person who died.
Have your chosen funeral director’s details available, together with the intended burial or cremation arrangements, if known.
Documents to have ready
If available, it is helpful to have the person’s:
- Birth certificate.
- Passport or driving licence.
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate.
- Proof of address.
- Documents confirming any change of name.
The register office may also ask for your identification and proof of address. Follow any instructions provided when your appointment is arranged.
Do not delay contacting the registrar because a document is missing. Supporting documents help confirm the details, but you do not legally need to provide all of them to register the death.
Check names, dates and spellings carefully before confirming the registration. Correcting an entry afterwards can involve a fee.
Death certificates
Registering a death is free. Certified copies of the death certificate currently cost £12.50 each. Delivery charges may apply.
You may need certificates when dealing with banks, insurers, private pension providers or the person’s estate. Check what each organisation requires before deciding how many copies to purchase. Further copies can be ordered later.
Paperwork for the funeral
The registrar will normally issue the Certificate for Burial or Cremation, often called the green form, unless the relevant authorisation comes from the coroner.
This is separate from the death certificates you purchase. The funeral paperwork can usually be sent directly to your chosen funeral director.
We will check that the necessary authorisation is in place before the funeral takes place.
Tell Us Once
The registrar can provide a reference number for Tell Us Once, a free service that informs participating government departments and council services about the death.
Use the reference within 28 days of receiving it.
You will still need to contact organisations such as banks, insurers, utility companies and private pension providers separately.
If the coroner is involved
The coroner’s office will explain what happens next and when the necessary paperwork can be issued.
If an inquest is required, the death will normally be registered using the coroner’s paperwork after the inquest has finished. You will not usually need a separate registration appointment.
While waiting, you can ask the coroner for an interim death certificate to help deal with the person’s affairs. This can also be used to obtain a Tell Us Once reference from the registrar.
The funeral can usually take place before the inquest concludes, once the coroner has released the person and issued the required authorisation.
We are here to help
You can contact Unique Funerals before the death has been registered. We can begin discussing your wishes, explain the next steps and help you understand the paperwork.
If you are unsure about anything, please speak to our team. We will guide you through the process with care.