What to do when a death occurs

Asian Funeral Care in Harrow is an independent family-owned organisation of funeral directors serving North and South London and the surrounding areas. When a loved one passes away there are many decisions to be made at a time of much personal distress. We aim to provide the highest level of funeral care and services that can be tailored to suit your requirements. We serve our clients 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Each member of our staff understands the importance of treating clients in a sympathetic and understanding nature in times of great distress and bereavement. We can make our arrangements at a time convenient to our clients. Whether you require our services in the comfort of your own home or the privacy of our office, we are here to accommodate you. We offer our services across South London and East London. Call us now. 

If your loved one dies at a hospital or in a nursing home, the hospital staff or care home staff should advise you on the next step. There should be a specialist bereavement or patient affairs unit in all hospitals and that helps those whose loved one died in that hospital. 

The specialist staff at the hospital should:

A death must normally be registered with the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths within five days. If the death has been referred to the Coroner, it cannot be registered until the Registrar has received authority from the Coroner to do so. You will need to make an appointment with the Registrar’s Office in the district in which the death occurred. The Registrar will require the medical certificate of the cause of death, the deceased’s birth certificate, medical card and if applicable marriage certificate. 

The Registrar will also need to know the deceased’s date and place of birth and death, first name, surname and maiden name if applicable, their usual address and occupation and the name and occupation of their spouse and their date of birth if applicable. You will also need to provide any book or document relating to a pension or allowance paid to the deceased from public funds. 

The Registrar who registers the death will issue a green certificate for burial or cremation unless the Coroner has given an order for burial or a certificate for cremation, in both cases these should be given to us so the funeral can take place.