Registering a death: what has changed, and what it means for you

Registering a death is a legal step that must be done before a funeral can take place. The process now includes a check by a medical examiner. Here is how it works in plain English, and how we fit the funeral around it.

What has changed

Every death in England and Wales is now checked by a medical examiner before it can be registered. This is in addition to the doctor who confirms the death. The check helps make sure the cause of death is recorded accurately, and gives you a chance to ask questions about it.

It also replaced the separate doctors' certificates that used to be needed for a cremation, which is why doctors' fees are no longer charged.

From 9 November 2026: register by telephone or in person

From 9 November 2026, changes in legislation will allow death registrations to be completed by telephone. The Warrington registration service will start with a hybrid approach, offering both telephone and in-person appointments. This gives bereaved families flexibility, and anyone who prefers or needs a face-to-face appointment can still have one.

There is no change to the way appointments are booked: the registrars still call you to make the appointment. The change is that the appointment can now be held by telephone as well as in person. The registration service hopes to introduce online appointment booking in future and will share more information if and when it becomes available.

What if the registrars’ call does not come? Call any of our offices (our main office is 01925 729998) and we will make the necessary calls for you. We want to make this as stress-free as possible, so you can feel confident that we are looking after you as well as your loved one.

Telephone appointments are not a quicker route to registration than in-person appointments. Both types are managed in the same way, so choose the one that suits your circumstances and preferences.

The new process removes the manual backup arrangements that existed before. If there were a significant systems outage, registrations could not go ahead until systems were restored. The registration service has business continuity arrangements in place, including working with neighbouring registration authorities to minimise disruption wherever possible.

How registering a death works, step by step

1. The death is confirmed. A doctor or authorised medical professional, such as a paramedic or senior nurse, confirms the death. This is called death verification. The doctor who has been looking after your loved one should be notified of the death, and they then propose the cause of death to the medical examiner, who in most cases agrees with it and allows the death to be registered.
2. The medical examiner checks. The medical examiner's office reviews the cause of death and will contact you. It can take a few days, and talking to them is voluntary.
3. You are told you can register. Wait for the medical examiner's office to confirm the death can be registered. If the death has been referred to a coroner, the coroner decides when it can be registered.
4. Register within 5 days. The registrars will call the person who will be registering the death, using the information they have received from the medical examiner, to arrange the appointment. It can be in person or (from 9 November 2026) by telephone. You must register the death within 5 days of the confirmation, including weekends and bank holidays. If you need longer, tell the register office straight away.
5. Collect the paperwork. The registrar gives you the certificate for burial or cremation, often called the green form, and a certified copy of the entry in the register. The green form goes to us, and the funeral can then take place. Some registrars, including Warrington, send the green form to us by secure email. Widnes currently issues it on paper, and this may change on 9 November 2026.
6. Use Tell Us Once. The registrar explains this free GOV.UK service that reports the death to most government organisations in one go. They will either complete it with you or give you a reference number to use within 28 days.

• Register a death on GOV.UK
• Find a register office
• Tell Us Once on GOV.UK

How this fits with the funeral

You do not have to wait before calling us. We can collect your loved one, care for them, and talk through the kind of farewell you would like while the medical examiner's check and the registration are going ahead.

• Planning: We start the arrangements with you straight away, and agree the date once the paperwork is in place.
• The paperwork: The green form from the registrar comes to us, by secure email from Warrington or on paper from Widnes at present. We deal with the crematorium or cemetery, so you don't have to.
• Coroner cases: If the coroner is involved, we stay in touch with their office and keep you informed at every step.
• Repatriation: To take someone out of England, the coroner must be given notice, and the paperwork showing the death has been registered is needed. We handle this for you.

• What to do when someone dies
• Repatriation & transport

Frequently asked questions

How soon must a death be registered?

Once the medical examiner's office has confirmed that you can register, you should register the death within 5 days of that confirmation. This includes weekends and bank holidays. If you need longer, tell the register office straight away.

What is a medical examiner?

A medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in your loved one's care. They check that the cause of death is accurate before the death can be registered. Their office will get in touch with you, and speaking to them is voluntary.

Can I register a death by telephone?

From 9 November 2026, yes. Telephone and in-person appointments will both be offered. Booking has not changed: the registrars still call you to make the appointment. A telephone appointment is not quicker than an in-person one, so choose whichever suits you best. If the call has not come, just ring any of our offices (our main office is 01925 729998) and we will make the necessary calls for you. Taking that worry away is part of what we do, so you can feel looked after as well as your loved one.

Who can register a death?

Usually a relative. If that isn't possible, someone present at the death, an administrator of the hospital or care home, or the person arranging the funeral can do it. The register office will tell you who is able to help in your situation.

Can the funeral date be set before the death is registered?

We can talk through your wishes and plan with you straight away, but a funeral cannot take place until the death has been registered and the registrar has issued the paperwork for burial or cremation. We confirm a date as soon as the paperwork is in place.

What if the death was reported to the coroner?

The documents and the timing can be different. The coroner will tell the registrar when the death can be registered, and the funeral cannot go ahead until the coroner has released your loved one. We stay in touch with the coroner's office and keep you informed.

Are there doctors' fees for a cremation?

No. Doctors' fees for cremation are no longer charged.