When someone you care about dies, the hours that follow can feel overwhelming. You may find yourself searching for NHS what to do when someone dies because you need clear, official answers, not vague advice. That instinct is right. There are specific steps involving doctors, medical certificates, and legal processes that need to happen promptly, and knowing what they are makes a difficult time that bit more manageable.
This guide walks you through exactly what to do, from verifying the death with a GP or hospital doctor to obtaining the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) and registering the death. We cover what happens whether your loved one died at home, in hospital, or in a care setting, including when a coroner may need to be involved.
At Go Direct Cremations, we support families across England, Scotland, and Wales through these early stages every day. Many of the people who come to us are navigating this process for the first time and simply need someone to explain what happens next. That’s what this article is for, a practical, step-by-step reference you can follow at your own pace, starting from the very first phone call.
What to do first and what you’ll need
Before you do anything else, take a breath. The NHS what to do when someone dies process has a clear order, and nothing will go wrong if you take a few minutes to gather yourself. There is no strict deadline in the first hour, but there are a handful of calls and documents that need to happen within the first day or two, so knowing what those are helps you move forward without panic.
Who to call right away
Your first call depends on where your loved one died. If the death happened at home and was unexpected or sudden, call 999 immediately so paramedics can attend and confirm the death. If the death was expected, for example after a long illness, call the person’s GP surgery or, outside of surgery hours, NHS 111. If the death happened in a hospital or care home, staff there will confirm the death and guide you through what happens next directly.
If you are unsure whether to call 999 or 111, always default to 999 when in doubt.
What you will need to have ready
Having the right documents to hand from the start saves you time and repeated phone calls over the coming days. Some of these you will need immediately; others come into play during registration. Locating them all in one go is the most practical approach.
Here is what to gather as early as possible:
- The deceased’s full name, date of birth, and home address
- Their NHS number (found on any NHS letter, prescription, or the NHS App)
- Their GP’s name and surgery contact details
- Any existing medical letters from consultants or specialists
- Their National Insurance number (needed for notifying the DWP later)
- A form of your own ID if you will be registering the death
- The deceased’s birth certificate and marriage or civil partnership certificate if you can locate them
You do not need every single item before making your first call. Having the NHS number and GP details ready is enough to get things moving quickly.
What to expect in the first 24 to 48 hours
The first two days involve medical confirmation and the start of the paperwork trail. A doctor needs to verify the death and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, known as the MCCD. If the cause of death is uncertain, or if the person had not seen their GP recently, a coroner may become involved, which can add time before the MCCD is issued. You will be kept informed at each stage, and no funeral arrangements can legally begin until the death is formally registered.
Practically speaking, you will also need to decide who takes on the role of informant, the person who registers the death at the register office and whose name appears on the paperwork. Taking on this role does not mean handling everything alone. It simply means you are the official point of contact for reporting the death. Often this is the next of kin, but any qualified informant, such as a person present at the death or the occupier of the property where it occurred, can take on this responsibility.
Step 1. Get urgent help and confirm the death
Before any paperwork can begin, a medical professional must officially confirm the death. This is not a formality you can skip. The NHS what to do when someone dies guidance is clear that a qualified doctor or paramedic must be present to verify the death before anything else moves forward. The person you call in this step depends entirely on where the death occurred and whether it was expected.
If the death was expected
When someone has been living with a serious illness or receiving end-of-life care, the death is considered expected. In this situation, call the person’s GP surgery during working hours. If the death happens overnight or at a weekend, call NHS 111 and explain that the person has died and that the death was expected. They will send a doctor to confirm the death and start the process of issuing the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
If your loved one died in a hospital, hospice, or care home, you do not need to make this call yourself. Staff at the facility will confirm the death, and a doctor there will take responsibility for the certificate. Your main task in this situation is to contact next of kin and let the facility guide you through their specific procedure.
Keep a note of the name and contact number of every medical professional you speak to during this step, as you may need to follow up or pass those details on to the register office.
If the death was unexpected
Call 999 immediately if the death was sudden, unexpected, or the cause is unclear. Paramedics will attend and confirm the death. In cases where the cause cannot be easily determined, the police may also attend as a precaution, which is standard practice and does not imply anything is wrong.
Here is a quick reference for who to call:
| Situation | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Sudden or unexpected death at home | 999 |
| Expected death at home, during GP hours | GP surgery |
| Expected death at home, out of hours | NHS 111 |
| Death in hospital or care home | Staff on site |
Once the death is confirmed, ask the attending doctor what happens next regarding the certificate, so you know whether to expect it quickly or whether a coroner referral is likely.
Step 2. Get the medical certificate or coroner decision
Once the death has been confirmed, the next step is obtaining the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This document is essential because the register office will not accept a death registration without it. In most cases, the doctor who attended your loved one during their final illness will complete and sign this certificate. Understanding who is responsible for issuing the MCCD and what happens if the process is delayed will save you unnecessary worry during an already difficult time.
When a GP or hospital doctor issues the MCCD
If the cause of death is clear and the deceased had been seen by their doctor within the past 28 days, the GP or hospital doctor can issue the MCCD directly. They will typically do this within one to two working days. The doctor sends the certificate electronically to the local register office and provides you with a notice confirming this has been done. You use that notice to book your appointment to formally register the death.
Ask the doctor’s surgery or hospital ward for a rough timeline on issuing the MCCD so you can plan your registration appointment without unnecessary delays.
During this stage, keep a note of the attending doctor’s name and contact details along with the name of the GP surgery or hospital ward involved. If there is any delay in the certificate being sent to the register office, having this information ready means you can chase it up quickly without having to repeat the whole story from scratch.
When the coroner gets involved
The NHS what to do when someone dies guidance is clear that not every death follows the straightforward MCCD route. A doctor must refer the death to the coroner if the cause is unknown, sudden, or suspicious, or if the deceased had not been seen by a doctor recently before they died.
In many coroner cases, no post-mortem is needed. The coroner reviews medical records and speaks to the GP, then issues a document allowing registration to proceed. If a post-mortem or inquest is required, this takes longer, and the coroner’s office will contact you directly with timescales. You can make initial contact with a funeral service provider during this period, but the funeral itself cannot take place until the coroner releases the body and all paperwork is complete.
Step 3. Register the death and get the right certificates
Once the MCCD has been sent to the register office, you need to register the death in person at the local register office for the area where your loved one died, not where they lived. You must do this within five days in England and Wales, or within eight days in Scotland. Most register offices require an appointment, so call or book online as soon as you receive the confirmation notice from the doctor.
Book your appointment at the register office
The person who attends the appointment is known as the informant. This is usually the next of kin, but it can be anyone who qualifies under the rules, such as a person present at the death or the occupier of the premises. You will need to bring specific information to avoid having to rebook or make follow-up calls.
Take the following to your appointment:
- The deceased’s full name, including any previous names used
- Date and place of death
- Home address of the deceased
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation and, if married or in a civil partnership, the spouse or partner’s full name and occupation
- NHS number if available
If you cannot locate all of these details beforehand, call the register office and explain your situation so they can advise you on what is strictly required.
What certificates you will receive
After the registrar records the death, you will receive two separate documents. The first is the death certificate, a certified copy of the entry in the death register. You will almost certainly need multiple certified copies because banks, pension providers, insurers, and solicitors each require one. Order at least five copies upfront to avoid delays across all the different organisations you will need to contact.
Your second document is the Certificate for Burial or Cremation, commonly called the green certificate. This goes directly to the funeral director or cremation provider. Without it, no funeral or cremation can legally proceed, so pass it over as soon as you have a provider in place. The NHS what to do when someone dies guidance makes clear that this step must be completed before any funeral arrangements can move forward.
Step 4. Tell the NHS, DWP, and other organisations
Once you have the death certificate in hand, you need to notify a range of organisations so that accounts, benefits, and records are closed or updated correctly. The NHS what to do when someone dies process does not end at registration. Failing to notify the right bodies promptly can lead to overpayments that need to be repaid, so this step is worth completing as soon as you are able.
Use the Tell Us Once service
The register office will give you access to Tell Us Once, a free government service that lets you report a death to multiple departments in a single step. You can use it online or by phone, and the registrar will give you a reference number and the contact details during your appointment.
Tell Us Once notifies the following on your behalf:
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for tax and Child Benefit records
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to stop pension and benefit payments
- The Passport Office and the DVLA to cancel the deceased’s passport and driving licence
- Local council services such as housing benefit, council tax, and blue badge schemes
- The Veterans Agency if the deceased received a war pension
Use Tell Us Once as soon as you receive your reference number, as stopping benefit payments prevents overpayments from being charged back to the estate later.
Who to notify separately
Tell Us Once does not cover every organisation, so you will need to contact some directly. Working through these in a structured way stops anything from being missed.
Contact the following as soon as you can:
- The deceased’s bank and building society to freeze accounts and begin the estate process
- Any pension providers, both state and private
- Insurance companies holding life, home, or car policies
- Utility providers if the deceased lived alone
- The deceased’s employer or former employer if relevant
Keep a simple log of each organisation you contact, the date you called, and the name of the person you spoke to. Written confirmation of each closure or update is worth requesting so you have a clear record if any disputes arise later.
Step 5. Arrange the funeral or direct cremation
Once the green certificate is in your hands and the coroner has confirmed no objection to cremation or burial, you can formally begin funeral arrangements. This is the point in the NHS what to do when someone dies process where you have genuine choice about how to proceed. There is no single right answer, and you do not need to decide anything under pressure. However, the more clearly you understand your options, the quicker you can move forward in a way that feels right for your family.
Choose between a traditional funeral and direct cremation
A traditional funeral involves a ceremony at the crematorium or graveside, usually attended by family and friends, and arranged through a funeral director who handles the service itself. This route offers structure and ritual, but it also comes with significant costs and tight timescales, as the ceremony is typically fixed around the cremation slot.
Direct cremation removes the ceremony entirely. The deceased is collected, cared for, and cremated without an attended service. The ashes are then returned to you, and you arrange any memorial or celebration of life at a time and place that suits your family, whether that is a week later or six months down the line. The table below shows the key practical differences:
| Factor | Traditional funeral | Direct cremation |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony at crematorium | Yes | No |
| Family attends cremation | Yes | No |
| Memorial timing | Fixed around service | Flexible, your choice |
| Typical cost range | £3,000 to £5,000+ | From around £895 |
| Ashes returned to family | Optional | Yes |
Direct cremation gives you the space to grieve before you plan, which many families find is exactly what they need.
What to expect from a direct cremation provider
A reputable provider will collect the deceased from a hospital, care home, or private address, handle all the necessary paperwork on your behalf, and keep you informed throughout. You should receive confirmation of collection, preparation, and cremation dates so nothing feels unclear or out of your control.
Go Direct Cremations operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across mainland England, Scotland, and Wales. The service includes collection, preparation, an eco-friendly coffin, and return of ashes, with clear pricing and no hidden fees.
Next steps when you feel ready
The NHS what to do when someone dies process has a clear structure, and you have now followed it from the first phone call through to funeral arrangements. Each step builds on the last, and getting through all of them while grieving takes real effort. Give yourself permission to pause before making any further decisions.
When you feel ready to think about cremation arrangements, direct cremation gives your family the time and freedom to plan a meaningful memorial without the pressure of a fixed ceremony. There are no hidden costs and no rigid timescales to work around, which many families find makes a real difference.
Go Direct Cremations is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week across mainland England, Scotland, and Wales. You can call, request a callback, or simply read through the service at your own pace. There is no obligation, and the team is ready to answer any questions whenever you feel ready to reach out.