Death and bereavement

By law, a death must be registered at a Register Office within 5 days of its occurrence. However, this period can be extended under certain circumstances.

• Contact details for the East Lancashire Register office.

You may also go to any Register Office in England or Wales and make a declaration of the particulars required. However, there will be a slight delay in receiving certificates and paperwork, as these will be posted from the receiving Register Office.

Any one of the following people may register a death:

• A relative of the deceased
• A person present at the death
• The occupier of the house or residential home where the death occurred (if there is no known relative who is able to register)
• The person who is arranging the funeral (not the funeral director)
  

The Registrar will interview you in private and you will need the following information:

• The date and place of death.
• The full name of the deceased (and maiden surname for a married woman)
• The date and place of birth of the deceased (a birth certificate would be helpful)
• The deceased's occupation, and the full name and occupation of her husband, if she was a married woman or widow
• The deceased's usual home address
• Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension from public funds.
• The date of birth of the deceased's spouse, if alive.
• The NHS medical card number for the deceased. However, please do not delay registration if this is not available.
  

You will need to bring:

• the medical certificate of cause of death issued by the doctor treating the person who has died. This is essential - the Registrar can do nothing without it. If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the Coroner's Office will advise you what to do.
• if the deceased received a pension or allowance from public funds, e.g. Civil Service or Army Pensions, please inform the Registrar
  

The Registrar will ask you some questions to obtain the above information, and then will print out a draft copy of the entry for you to check. It is most important that this draft is checked carefully, as mistakes can easily be rectified at this point. Once the draft is signed the Registrar will enter the details into the register, again you will be asked to check the details before signing the register.

When the death is registered you will receive the following documents:

• A green form (Form 9), to be given to the funeral director.
• A white form (Form 344) to be sent or taken to the DSS together with any state pension or benefit books, this will stop any payments.
• A unique number and a leaflet detailing our Tell Us Once service. You can just tell us - once - about a person who has died, and we will contact other organisations who need to know for you.
  

Home visits to register a birth, death or stillbirth are at the discretion of the Registrar. Please contact the Registrar's Office for Burnley and Pendle.

• Further information about registering a death, the coroners service and funeral ceremonies can be found on Lancashire County Council's website.