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All information and costs below are correct May 2025.
Please telephone or visit the links to confirm up to date information.
A UK Death Certificate
A UK Death Certificate is an official document that serves as proof of a person’s death. It contains important information about the deceased individual. Death registration should be completed as soon as possible, as you will need the certificate to move forward with the funeral arrangements.
Here are some of the main areas covered:
- A Death Certificate is an official document needed for handling legal, financial, and administrative affairs, such as settling estates, claiming life insurance, or arranging burial or cremation
- In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, deaths must be registered within five days, and in Scotland within eight days, counting weekends and bank holidays
- After registering the death, you’ll be issued the official death certificate plus a “green form” required for burial or cremation arrangements
- If a death is investigated by a coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland), they may issue an interim certificate to allow funeral proceedings to begin
Death certificates are important documents, and its important to follow the rules.
Table of contents
Why is a Death Certificate required?
A death certificate is your legal proof that someone has passed away. There are various reasons why a death certificate is required:
- Settling an estate or distributing assets
- Making life insurance, pension, or welfare claims
- Closing bank accounts, utilities, and other services
- Applying for probate or dealing with courts
- Contributing to mortality statistics, supporting public health policies
- Genealogy and family history research
Death registration is important as the certificate contains important information about the deceased individual, such as their name, date of birth, date of death, cause of death, and location of death. It also plays an important role in legal, financial, and administrative matters.
What is on a UK Death Certificate?
- The full name of the deceased person
- The date and place of death, including the time of death if known
- The cause of death, usually determined by a doctor or coroner
- The deceased person’s date and place of birth
- The deceased person’s occupation and usual address
- The name and address of the person who registered the death
- The date and place of the registration of the death
- The signature, name, and position of the registrar who registered the death.
- The deceased person’s marital status and the name of their spouse (if applicable)
- Any other information that may be relevant, i.e. nationality or religion
When and where to register a death
“Register a death UK” and “death certificate UK” are commonly searched term for those looking to register a death. The links below will direct you how to register a death.
Timeframe
- England, Wales, Northern Ireland within 5 days (including weekends and bank holidays)
- Scotland, within 8 days
Where to locate your local registry office
England & Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Registering a death promptly ensures the funeral can proceed and helps avoid delays with banks, pensions, and probate matters. Ensure that you follow the law and obtain the certificate within the time frame of five days for England and eight days for Scotland. Different times apply for registering the death for any of the three below:
Stillbirth
A coroner is involved
The death was abroad
Who can apply & what you need
Who can register the death?
- Typically, the the spouse, a close relative, or a legal representative can register the death.
Documents to bring
- Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) from a doctor or appropriate paperwork from a coroner/Procurator Fiscal
- Details of the deceased: Full name, date/place of birth, occupation, address – If married, spouse’s name, date of birth, occupation
- You will also need to provide evidence of your name and address as the person who is registering the death
- The registrar will usually offer the Tell Us Once service to notify government agencies which will save you time
After registration, you will receive:
- A Death Certificate (copy of the death register entry)
- A green burial or cremation form (in Scotland known as Form 14, Certificate of Registration of Death)
If the deceased is a female who was married you will also have to provide her husband (or late husband) name and occupation.
Death Certificate order – How to order Death Certificate copies
Online
To order online search “death certificate order” for your region, i.e “death certificate order Cardiff” or use the links below.
England & Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
In person
Visit your local registry office shown above under ‘Where to locate you local registry office’ by appointment (usually booked online or via phone). Bring the same documents required for registration.
Why extra copies may be needed
Extra copies of the death certificate may be needed to supply to organisations such as below.
- Banks and building societies
- Solicitors
- Pensions administrators
- Will executors or estate administrators
- Utility companies
- Insurance companies
- Local authority
If you are disabled and housebound
If you are unable to leave your home to register a death you can arrange for someone else to visit the registry office on your behalf. Alternativley, you can contact your local registry office to discuss other arrangements such as a home visit.
When a coroner is involved
A coroner’s office is responsible for investigating deaths that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances. The specific duties of a coroner’s office can vary depending on the jurisdiction, but generally include the following:
- Determining the cause and manner of death: The coroner’s office investigates the circumstances surrounding a person’s death, including any injuries or other evidence, in order to determine the cause and manner of death.
- Identifying the deceased: The coroner’s office works to identify the deceased, sometimes using fingerprints, dental records, or DNA testing.
- Notifying next of kin: The coroner’s office is responsible for notifying the deceased’s next of kin and providing information about the death.
- Collecting evidence: The coroner’s office collects and preserves any evidence related to the death, including medical records, witness statements, and physical evidence.
- Testifying in court: The coroner or a member of their staff may be called to testify in court about their investigation and findings related to the death.
Overall, the role of the coroner’s office is to provide information to help determine the cause and manner of death and to ensure that justice is served in cases where foul play is suspected.
Death certificates from the coroner
If your local coroner’s office is involved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the coroner’s document for burial or cremation is called a “Certificate for Burial or Cremation” In Scotland, the document is called a “Procurator Fiscal’s Burial Order” or “Procurator Fiscal’s Cremation Order”. This document is issued to the funeral director handling the funeral arrangements and permits them to proceed with the burial or cremation.
If a post-mortem examination is required, the coroner may issue an interim certificate, also known as an “Interim Death Certificate”, which is free of cost. This certificate allows the family to proceed with funeral arrangements and other administrative matters, such as applying for probate. However, the full death certificate (Form E for cremation in Wales) will not be released until the coroner’s inquiry has ended.
Once the coroner’s inquiry has finished, the next of kin can register the death to obtain the full death certificate, which provides information about the cause of death and other relevant details.
Coroners fees
There is no coroner charge in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for a Certificate for Burial or Cremation which is also known as the Green Form.
Doctors fees
In England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there is no doctors charge for the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). Additionally, as from 9th September 2024 the £82 doctors fee for the cremation form 4 has been scrapped.
Death Certificate costs
England & Wales £11 per first copy, additional £10 per copy
Scotland £12 for first copy, additional £10 per copy
Northern Ireland £15 for first copy, additional £8 per copy
For further helpful information covering different aspects of funerals from poems, flowers, bereavement gift ideas, what to wear at a funeral, low-cost headstones and much more, visit the Save Funeral Costs™ blog.
