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Later Life Care

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End of life

What to do when someone dies

We take you through what you need to do when someone close to you dies, from how to register a death to what happens if a coroner is called in.

First steps when someone has died

6 min read

Read about the first steps that need to be taken immediately after someone has died, whether this was at home, in a hospital or in a care home.

Getting a medical certificate of death

3 min read

If the death was expected, and the cause of death is clear, a GP will need to issue a medical certificate to confirm the cause of death.

Preparing to register a death

3 min read

We explain how to formally register a death and what information you’ll need.

Registering a death

5 min read

After the medical certificate of death has been issued, the next stage is to register the death. Here, we explain what steps you should take.

Checklist: what to take with you when registering a death

2 min read

Our checklist of what to take with you when registering a death will help this upsetting experience run smoothly.

Tell Us Once

2 min read

This government-run service allows you to report the death of a loved one to most departments in one go, so you don’t have to contact each separately.