Registering a death
What needs to happen before a death can be registered?
- For every death, an Approved Practitioner, such as a GP, will propose a Cause of Death to an Independent Medical Examiner or the Coroner for scrutiny.
- The Medical Examiner or the Coroner will establish the cause of death
- The medical examiner/coroner will contact the next of kin to discuss the cause of death and any concerns or queries the next of kin may have
- The medical examiner/coroner will produce the necessary documents for the death to be registered and submit this to the Register Office, advising the next of kin that an appointment can be made
- The next of kin contacts the Register Office to make an appointment to register the death
You are welcome to contact the Register Office to tell them the death has occurred but we will only be able to offer you an appointment once the documents are received from the medical examiner/coroner.
Deaths in Rutland
If the person died in Rutland, you need to register the death at Rutland Register Office.
You need to book an appointment to register the death - to book, email registrars@rutland.gov.uk or call 01572 758 380. Please be aware that we are a small, part-time office. If we are unable to answer your call, this number will divert to Customer Services. They will take your details and pass them to the Registrar, who will call you back as soon as possible.
It is also possible to register a Rutland death 'by declaration' outside Rutland, but this may cause delays and only Rutland will be able to issue the death certificates and the necessary burial/cremation forms. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances.
Deaths outside Rutland
If the person died outside Rutland, you must contact the register office in the county where the death happened to register the death.
It may be possible to register the death by declaration in Rutland, but the Rutland Register Office will not be able to provide the death certificates or the necessary burial/cremation forms. Only the district of death can provide these. Registering a death by declaration can cause delays for the funeral.
Who can register the death?
Most deaths are registered by a relative or partner of the deceased.
If there are no relatives or partner, other people who may be able to register the death are:
- someone present at the death
- someone from the hospital, if they knew of the death
- another person who lived in the house, if they knew of the death
- personal representative of the deceased
If you're unsure, please call us on 01572 758 380.
What you'll be asked
During the appointment, the person registering the death will need to know this information about the deceased:
- date and place of death
- name and surname
- maiden name, if they were a married woman
- date and place of birth
- occupation
- address
- the name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner, if they were married, widowed or had a civil partnership
- the date of birth of the surviving spouse or civil partner
- whether they received a pension or any benefits
When the registration has been completed, you'll be asked if you'd like to use the Tell Us Once service.
Documents to bring to the appointment
It would be really helpful if you could bring the deceased's:
- birth certificate or passport
- marriage or civil partnership certificate
- proof of address (for example a utility bill or driving licence)
- NHS medical card
Don't worry if you haven't got these documents - the registrar will still be able to register the death without them.
The death certificate
A death certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the death register.
You will need a death certificate to close the deceased person's accounts - their bank, private pension or mortgage accounts, for example.
You can do everything with one copy of the death certificate (companies must return the document to you, by law), but having several copies will speed the process up.
Copies of the death certificate cost £12.50 each. You can buy as many copies as you like, and pay by debit card during the appointment.
Certificate for burial or cremation
With your permission, the registrar can issue the certificate for the burial or cremation directly to the place where the body will be buried or cremated.
If the death has been reported to the coroner, they may issue the certificate for burial or cremation.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the registration process, please email registrars@rutland.gov.uk or call us on 01572 758 380.
Free grief resources from The Loss Foundation
The Loss Foundation is a grief support charity offering a range of free resources for anyone navigating loss. These resources, created by clinical psychologists, include videos, worksheets (on grief, anxiety, and sleeplessness), guided meditations, and recommended books for grief.
Access grief resources on The Loss Foundation website.
They also provide free support services for those navigating grief after losing a loved one to cancer.