How to register a death in England and Wales: 5 days, the green form and Tell Us Once

When someone dies in England or Wales the first deadline is five days — and it is easy to get wrong, because the clock starts not at the moment of death but on the day the medical examiner's office confirms you can register. Here is the GOV.UK order of events, with the figures worth writing down.

How long do you have to register a death?

Five days — but the countdown does not begin straight away. First a doctor confirms the death, then the paperwork goes to a medical examiner. Only once that office says registration can go ahead do the five days start running. Weekends and bank holidays count towards them, so a Friday before a long weekend eats most of the margin. If you cannot make it in time, GOV.UK says to tell the register office immediately rather than let the deadline pass.

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Who is the medical examiner and why does it take a few days?

A medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the person's care and independently checks the cause of death. GOV.UK states plainly that this "can take a few days", which is why families often feel nothing is happening. The office may contact you to explain the cause of death in plain language; that conversation is voluntary and declining does not delay registration. A separate process applies if the death goes to a coroner.

What do you get at the register office, and what does a certificate cost?

The key document you leave with is the certificate for burial or cremation, almost universally called the green form. The funeral director, crematorium or burial authority cannot proceed without it, so hand it over before the funeral.

Copies of the death certificate are paid for separately. A standard copy from the General Register Office costs £12.50 and is sent 4 days after you apply. Without a GRO index reference number, add £3.50 per search and expect 15 working days. Priority costs £38.50, sent the next working day if you apply before 4pm. Extra copies cost the same as the first — order several, because banks, insurers and pension schemes want an original.

What is Tell Us Once and how long does the reference last?

Tell Us Once is a free service that reports a death to most government organisations in one go. The registrar gives you a unique reference number, and you must use it within 28 days.

It notifies HMRC (ends personal tax, cancels benefits such as Child Benefit), DWP (cancels Universal Credit, State Pension and other entitlements), the Passport Office, DVLA (cancels the licence, removes the person as keeper of up to 5 vehicles, ends vehicle tax), the local council (Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Blue Badge, council housing, electoral register), Veterans UK, Social Security Scotland and public sector pension schemes.

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The service is available if the person lived in England, Scotland or Wales, even if they died while temporarily abroad. It cannot be used if they lived in Northern Ireland or abroad permanently.

What information do you need for Tell Us Once?

The reference number, the person's surname and date of death, and the executor's or administrator's name, address and contact details. If there is a surviving spouse or civil partner: their name, address, phone number and National Insurance number or date of birth; if not, the next of kin's name and address. If the death happened in a hospital, care home or hospice, you need that institution's name and address. The passport number, driving licence number, vehicle registrations and Blue Badge number all help. One detail catches people out: you need permission from the spouse, next of kin, executor or joint claimant before passing on their details.

Who do you still have to contact yourself?

Tell Us Once does not cover the private sector. You contact banks, mortgage and insurance providers, utilities and telecoms, a landlord or housing association, and personal or workplace pension schemes. Separately: Land Registry if they owned property; DVLA if you sell a vehicle or tax it in your own name; HMRC for business taxes such as VAT; the Student Loans Company for a student loan. One special case — if a child died and you receive benefits as their parent or carer, contact DWP yourself: the service only stops the benefits of the person who died.

What financial support is available?

Bereavement Support Payment goes to a surviving spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner. The higher rate is a lump sum of up to £3,500 plus £350 a month for 18 months; the lower rate, up to £2,500 plus £100 a month over the same 18 months. Timing decides the amount: claim within 3 months and you get the lump sum and all 18 monthly payments; between 3 and 12 months, the lump sum and some monthly payments; between 12 and 21 months, some monthly payments but no lump sum; after 21 months, usually nothing.

Funeral Expenses Payment is separate and depends on receiving certain benefits. It covers burial fees for a plot, cremation fees including the doctor's certificate, travel to arrange or attend the funeral, moving the body more than 50 miles within the UK, and death certificates. For everything else — funeral director's fees, the coffin, flowers — the cap is £1,000.

ONLYWAY NEWS note: these procedures and amounts follow the current GOV.UK pages, but rules change, and Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own registration deadlines.