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Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
First, take a breath. Whether the death was expected or a shock, there is nothing you have to do this minute, and nothing you can get wrong by pausing. If the death was expected, call the GP surgery (or 111 outside surgery hours). If it was unexpected, or you are not sure, call 999. The professionals who come will guide you through everything else, kindly and without rushing you.
If the person was receiving end of life care, or had a known terminal illness, this is not an emergency and you do not need to call 999. Instead:
They will arrange for a healthcare professional to come and verify the death. There is no rush. The person does not need to be moved immediately, including overnight. If the death happens in the middle of the night, it is perfectly all right to wait until morning if that feels gentler. Families can take the time they need.
If the death was sudden, or you are not sure why it happened, call 999. The call handler will guide you through what to do while help is on the way.
call 999. No one will mind, and the call handler will work out what is needed. If you are unsure who to ring at any point, our guide on who to call first after a death walks through every situation.
A doctor or a trained nurse will verify (formally confirm) the death. After that:
Since 9 September 2024, every death in England and Wales is independently reviewed before it can be registered, either by a medical examiner (a senior doctor who was not involved in the person's care) or, where the death needs investigating, by a coroner. In practice this means:
You can read more about how this works in our guide to the medical examiner review process.
Once the medical examiner's office (or the coroner's office) tells you the paperwork has gone to the registrar, you can book an appointment to register the death. Registration should normally happen within 5 days of being told you can register (8 days in Scotland), and the registrar will give you the death certificate and the paperwork needed for the funeral. Our guide on registering a death covers what to bring and what happens at the appointment.
When someone dies at home, you have more time than it feels like. The professionals who come will guide you gently through each step. One phone call is enough to start; everything else can follow at your pace.
If the death was expected, for example the person was receiving end of life care, call their GP surgery, or NHS 111 outside surgery hours. There is no emergency, and a doctor or trained nurse will come to verify the death. If the death was unexpected, call 999. Police attending an unexpected death at home is normal procedure, not an accusation, and the death will be reported to the coroner.
No. Once a healthcare professional has verified the death, the person can stay at home until the family is ready, including overnight. A funeral director (or, in coroner cases, the coroner's contractors) will collect the person whenever you ask them to. Many families take a few hours to sit with the person and say goodbye, and that is completely normal.
Only when the death was unexpected. If you call 999, police usually attend alongside paramedics. This is standard procedure for any unexpected death at home; it does not mean anyone is suspected of anything. They will ask some routine questions and the death will be reported to the coroner, which is also routine.
Since September 2024, every death in England and Wales is reviewed independently, by a medical examiner or, in some cases, a coroner, before it can be registered. The medical examiner's office will contact you, answer your questions, and tell you when the medical certificate has gone to the registrar so you can book your registration appointment. So do not worry if you cannot book straight away; that is normal now.
No. You can engage a funeral director at any point, and you are under no obligation to stay with the firm that collected the person. It is fine to take your time, compare prices (funeral directors must display them), and choose the funeral director that feels right for you.
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Where they normally lived, even if they died somewhere else.
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