In the event of a death

By law, a death must be registered. This is usually done in the county or borough in which death occurred, although it is possible to register the death in another area by arrangement.

When the death occurs at home:
The nearest relative and family doctor should be informed. The doctor will complete a certificate stating the cause of death. If cremation is desired, two doctors are required to sign a certificate. The first doctor will instruct the second doctor, who can see the body in the mortuary or chapel of rest. The doctor's certificate must be taken to the registrar in the registration sub-district where the death occurred, normally within 5 days.

Tamworth Registrar of Births and Deaths
Church Street
Tamworth
Staffs
B79 7BX
Tel: 01827 475885

When the death occurs in hospital:
A certificate will be issued as above, but the hospital may wish to carry out a post mortem examination of the deceased. Before this occurs, consent must be obtained from the nearest relative.

When the death occurs suddenly:
If the death was sudden, and the doctor had not seen the patient within 14 days of death, the coroner must be informed. The coroner will decide if it is necessary to carry out a post mortem examination. If it is decided that death occurred from natural cause, the coroner will issue notification to the effect that an inquest is not required. Alternatively, the coroner may decide that an inquest should take place in order to establish the cause of death. The doctor will notify the coroner.

Using a funeral director:
Most people choose to employ a funeral director to make the funeral arrangements on their behalf. A choice of funeral directors can be found in the local Yellow pages.

When you have decided which funeral director you wish to use, contact them as soon as possible. You will need to provide them with information about the deceased such as their full name, age, occupation and religion. You will also need to tell the funeral director if a minister is required for the ceremony.

Before arranging a funeral
It is important to check if the deceased left any instructions with the Will regarding their wishes. It may be that they wanted to donate their body for medical research or donate their organs for transplantation. Funeral arrangements may have already been made using a pre-payment plan, or specific instructions may have been left concerning the funeral ceremony itself. If there is a Will, the executor has the right to decide whether it should be a burial or cremation (even if the Will expresses a particular wish). If there is no Will, the next of kin should decide.

Burial
If a grave has already been purchased, you will need to provide the deeds or some other documentation to show proof of ownership. If a new grave is required, (click here to go to 'buying a grave) you should decide in which cemetery you wish the interment to take place and who will be named as the Registered Owner.

The funeral director will ensure that all relevant documentation is delivered to the burial authority in good time.

Cremation
You will need to advise the doctor that a cremation is desired, so that two doctor's signatures may be obtained. In addition to the Death Certificate, a Statutory Declaration is required for cremation. The funeral director will give you the relevant forms which must be completed by the Executor, the nearest surviving relative and witnessed by any householder to whom the applicant is known. As with burial, the funeral director will ensure that the necessary documentation is delivered to the cremation authority in good time.

There is no Crematorium in Tamworth, the nearest is Sutton Crematorium, Tel: 0121 3083812

Arranging the funeral yourself
There is no legal requirement to use the services of a funeral director to make the arrangements on your behalf. If the death occurred at home, the deceased's doctor and nearest relative should be contacted as soon as possible. Once the doctor has certified the cause of death, the body may be washed and dressed. If the death occurred in hospital the family will need to collect the body from the mortuary. A coffin can be made or purchased from a funeral director, and a large estate car or similar vehicle may be used for transportation of the deceased.

Arrangements for the ceremony can usually be made direct with the cemetery or crematorium. If a religious ceremony is required on the day of the funeral, the local church usually has a list of ministers you may contact.

• It is your right to organise a funeral without the use of a funeral director.
• It is your right, as executor (or next of kin) to be given the body by a mortuary, hospital, etc, in order to carry out a funeral without a funeral director.
• It is your right to obtain a coffin (minimum bio-degradable type)