Deaths

We appreciate that this is a very difficult time and the loss of a loved one can be particularly distressing. We would like to reassure you that we are here to support you and ensure, where possible, that your needs and wishes are met.

What happens when someone dies

The Medical Examiner will issue a Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) to the Registrar.

The Medical Examiner provides an independent scrutiny of all deaths that are not investigated by the coroner. The Medical Examiner will ensure that an accurate cause of death is recorded, identify any concerns surrounding the death itself which can then be further investigated by the care provider or Coroner if required, and take the views of the bereaved into consideration. The Medical Examiner will liaise with the next of kin prior to issuing the MCCD to the Registrar.

If the death occurred in Flintshire and the Medical Examiner has issued the MCCD, the Register Office will contact you to make an appointment to register the death.

If your loved one dies in hospital

A doctor will liaise with the Medical Examiner and the Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) will then be scanned and emailed to the Register Office. There is no need to collect this.
Once the MCCD has been received the Registrar will contact you to arrange a death registration appointment.

You are legally required to register a death within five days from when the Medical Examiner has issued the MCCD.

If you haven’t heard from the Registrar, you can phone 01352 703333.
The cost of each death certificate is £12.50.
You can find industry inspected local funeral directors on The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) website. Alternatively, you can contact the NAFD by phone on 0121 711 1343.
During the death registration appointment, the Registrar will issue a form for burial or cremation to you, or alternatively send the form by email to your chosen funeral director or burial society. The funeral director will then arrange the burial or cremation in consultation with you.
If your loved one dies in hospital, they will be taken to a mortuary either at the hospital or in another location such as a funeral home. The bereavement team within the hospital will let you know where your loved one has been taken.

If the death took place outside of Flintshire, you will need to contact the Register Office for the area in which the death took place. You can find the relevant Register Office by entering the postcode of the place of death on www.gov.uk

If your loved one dies at home or elsewhere outside of hospital

If your loved one dies at home, please call your GP or out-of-hours service. They will arrange verification of death and liaise with the Medical Examiner.

If the death is unexpected, please phone 999. The operator will provide instructions on what you need to do. The police and trained clinicians will come to your house and submit a sudden death report.
You should contact your chosen funeral director to arrange the collection of your loved one.

You can find industry inspected local funeral directors on The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) website. Alternatively, you can contact the NAFD by phone on 0121 711 1343.
A doctor will liaise with the Medical Examiner and the Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) will then be scanned and emailed to the Register Office. There is no need to collect this.
Once the MCCD has been received the Registrar will contact you to arrange a death registration appointment.

You are legally required to register a death within five days from when the Medical Examiner has issued the MCCD.

If you haven’t heard from the Registrar, you can phone 01352 703333.
The cost of each death certificate is £12.50.
During the death registration appointment, the Registrar will issue a form for burial or cremation to you, or alternatively send the form by email to your chosen funeral director or burial society.

The funeral director will then arrange the burial or cremation in consultation with you.

Who can register a death

Please see below a list of individuals who can register a death:

A relative or partner
A person who was present at the death
An occupier of a communal establishment
The person arranging the funeral if there are no relatives available

In preparation for the death registration appointment please make sure you know the information listed below. You might find it helpful to write it down in advance, or have documents such passport, birth certificate, and marriage certificate (if applicable) on hand.

Details of the deceased:

Date and place of death
First name, middle names (if applicable) and surname
Any other names the deceased was otherwise or previously known by
Maiden name (if applicable)
Date and place of birth
Occupation and whether they were retired
Address

Information you need to register a death

Details of the spouse/civil partner of the deceased (if applicable)
First name, middle names (if applicable) and surname
Date of birth
Occupation
Whether they are retired

The following information will also be required for government statistics:

Was the deceased single, married, widowed, divorced, a civil partner, surviving civil partner or former civil partner?
Is their spouse or civil partner still alive? If so, what is their date of birth?
How long did they stay in hospital or in another establishment prior to their death?
Was the deceased under 75?
What industry did they work in and what position did they hold?
Did they get a pension paid from government funds? This includes the civil service, teachers, armed forces and war widows. This does not include the state pension or pension credit.
The deceased NHS number from their medical card (if available).

Once the registration has been completed you will be asked to sign the entry. It is important that the information recorded is as accurate as possible as the correction of errors discovered after the register has been signed may cause delay, and incur costs.

The Registrar will issue a green form to give to the funeral director. If the death has been referred to the coroner and the funeral is a cremation, the equivalent form will be sent by the coroner to your funeral director.

A white BD8 form which is to be completed and sent by you to the Department of Work and Pension to stop state pension and other benefits being paid. This also notifies the Department of Work and Pension that a surviving spouse / civil partners' circumstances have changed.

Child deaths under 18 and stillborn

Losing a child is a deeply painful experience. We want to offer practical and compassionate support to grieving families. There is a range of support available including burial and cremation fees for children under 18 and £500 contribution towards the funeral and other related costs.

Further information about the support available to support grieving families can be found on the Welsh Government website.

The Coroner

When a death occurs in the following circumstances it will be referred to the coroner:

The death is sudden and unexpected
The cause of death is industrially related
The cause of death is unknown
There are suspicious circumstances surrounding the death
Death due to accident, violence, suicide, neglect or during / after operation

The coroner will investigate the circumstances of the death and do one of the following:

Issue a certificate to the Registrar allowing the death to be registered
Arrange a post mortem and when this is complete issue a cause of death certificate to the Registrar allowing the death to be registered
Arrange a post mortem and hold an Inquest. The coroner will then arrange for the death to be registered after the Inquest has taken place.