When someone dies

We are very sorry for your loss. This page explains what happens next and where to get help.

If someone dies at home

If the death was expected

For example, if the person was very ill and receiving end of life care. There is no need to rush.

• When we are open, call us on 01460 67763.

• When we are closed, call 111.

A doctor, nurse or paramedic will confirm the death. After that, you can contact a funeral director, who will take the person into their care.

If the death was unexpected

Call 999. The ambulance service will come, and the police may also attend. This is normal when a death is sudden and does not mean anyone has done anything wrong.

The medical certificate of cause of death

A doctor who knew the person writes a medical certificate, stating the cause of death. An independent doctor, called a medical examiner, then checks it. Their office will phone you to explain the cause of death and answer any questions.

The medical examiner sends the certificate to the register office.

Sometimes a doctor cannot say what caused a death, or the law says it must be looked into. Then the death is reported to the coroner. This can delay registering the death and the funeral.

Registering the death

A death must usually be registered within 5 days of the medical examiner's office telling you the cause of death. A relative usually does this, at a register office. The register office will tell you what to bring.

Find out about what to do after someone dies on GOV.UK, including how to register a death in Somerset.

When you register, you can use the Tell Us Once service to tell most government departments, such as the DVLA, HM Passport Office and the council, at the same time.

Please tell us

If someone registered with us dies somewhere else, such as in hospital, we are usually told. If you are not sure, please let us know, so we can cancel appointments and prescriptions and update our records.

Take any unused medicines to a pharmacy, so they can be disposed of safely.

Bereavement support

Grief can affect you in many ways. It can help to talk to someone.

• Cruse Bereavement Support: free helpline on 0808 808 1677

• If you are struggling, you can also contact us.