When someone dies, it can be difficult to know what needs to happen first. This guide explains the practical steps in England, including what to do after an expected death at home, what happens after a death in hospital or a care setting, when a coroner may become involved, registering the death and arranging the funeral.
You do not need to understand the whole process before you call us. If you are unsure what happens next, BM Funeral Service can explain the practical steps calmly and clearly.
What should I do first when someone dies?
The first step depends on where the person died and whether the death was expected.
If the death was expected at home, a healthcare professional will normally need to attend to verify the death. Depending on the arrangements already in place, this may be a GP, district nurse, palliative care nurse or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
If the death is sudden, unexpected, suspicious, or you are not certain that the person has died, call 999.
What happens if someone dies at home?
If the death was expected
If the person was receiving end-of-life or palliative care and the death was expected, contact the healthcare team involved in their care. During GP opening hours this may be the GP surgery. Outside normal hours, NHS 111 may advise what to do next.
A healthcare professional will usually attend to verify the death. You do not normally need to rush. In an expected death, families may wish to spend some time with the person who has died before the next arrangements are made.
Any medical equipment in use, such as a syringe pump, should usually be left in place until a healthcare professional has attended and advised otherwise.
If the death was unexpected
If the person was not expected to die, if the circumstances are unclear, or if there is any possibility they may still be alive, call 999. The emergency services will advise what happens next.
What happens if someone dies in hospital?
The hospital team will guide you through the first steps. The hospital will arrange confirmation of the death and the medical paperwork process. You will usually be contacted about when the necessary documentation is ready and when you can make arrangements with a funeral provider.
If you are unsure what you need to do, ask the hospital bereavement or patient affairs team what happens next.
What happens if someone dies in a care home or nursing home?
Staff at the home will normally follow the person’s care plan and local procedures. If the death was expected, they will usually contact the appropriate healthcare professional to verify the death and then speak with the family about the next arrangements.
If the death was unexpected or there are concerns about the circumstances, the police, coroner or other authorities may need to be involved.
What is verification of death?
Verification of death is the formal confirmation by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional that the person has died.
This is separate from the later medical certification process that records the cause of death. Families often hear several similar terms at once, which can be confusing, so it is worth remembering that verification confirms the death, while the medical certification process deals with the cause of death and enables registration.
What is the Medical Examiner and why might they contact me?
In England and Wales, deaths that are not being investigated by a coroner are generally reviewed by an independent medical examiner before the death can be registered.
The medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the person’s care. Their office may contact you to explain the proposed cause of death and give you an opportunity to raise questions or concerns about the care provided before death.
You must wait until the medical examiner process is complete before the registrar can proceed with registration.
When does a coroner become involved?
A death may be reported to the coroner if the cause of death is unknown, the death may have been violent or unnatural, or there are other circumstances that require investigation.
Being referred to the coroner does not automatically mean anything improper has happened. The coroner’s role is to establish who died and how, when and where the death occurred.
If the coroner decides that no further investigation is required, the death can proceed through the normal registration process. If an investigation or inquest is required, the coroner will explain what happens next and will release the person for burial or cremation when the necessary examinations are complete.
How do I register a death?
You must wait until the medical examiner’s office, or the coroner where relevant, confirms that the death can be registered.
In England, the death should then normally be registered within 5 days of that confirmation. If you need longer, contact the register office.
After registration, you can obtain copies of the death certificate and the documentation needed for burial or cremation.
Who can register the death?
The registrar will tell you who is permitted to register the death. This is often a relative, but there are other people who may be able to register in certain circumstances.
If you are unsure who should attend, contact the register office before making the appointment.
What information will the registrar ask for?
You may be asked for information about the person who has died, including their full name, date and place of birth, address, occupation, marital or civil partnership status and details about their spouse or civil partner where relevant.
The exact process can vary, so check the instructions from the relevant register office before your appointment.
What is Tell Us Once?
After a death has been registered, the government’s Tell Us Once service can notify a number of government organisations about the death on your behalf.
You may still need to contact organisations outside government yourself, such as banks, private pension providers, utilities, insurers and employers.
When should I contact a funeral provider?
You can speak to a funeral provider before every piece of paperwork is complete. You do not need to wait until you fully understand the process.
What can happen next depends on where the person has died, whether the death has been verified, and whether the medical examiner or coroner is involved.
BM Funeral Service can explain what information we need and when your loved one can come into our care.
Can I choose direct cremation?
Yes. Direct cremation is a cremation without a traditional attended funeral service at the crematorium.
Families choose it for many reasons, including simplicity, personal preference, affordability, or because they would rather hold a memorial or gathering separately.
Read about direct cremation in Kent →
What happens when my loved one comes into BM’s care?
Our approach is shaped by BM’s ambulance and healthcare background. We focus on dignified transportation, identification, documentation, privacy and appropriate refrigerated mortuary care.
You should know who is caring for your loved one and what happens next. If anything is unclear, ask us. We would rather explain the process than leave a family uncertain.
Do I need to decide everything immediately?
No. In many cases, the first priority is simply making sure the correct medical and legal steps are underway.
You can then consider the funeral arrangements, whether you want direct cremation or another type of funeral, what will happen to the ashes, and whether you want to hold a memorial separately.
What if I do not know what to do?
Call us. You do not need to know the terminology, understand the paperwork or have made all the decisions.
Telephone: 01233 273999
Tell us what has happened and where the person has died. We can explain the practical next step.
Useful official guidance
For the legal and administrative steps after a death, the GOV.UK What to do when someone dies service provides the official step-by-step process for registration, Tell Us Once and funeral arrangements.