Register a death

Who can register a death

The majority of deaths are registered by a relative of the deceased.  If there is no living relative the informant can be someone from the lists below:

If the death occurred in a house or hospital

  • A relative or partner of the deceased, present at the death
  • A relative or partner of the deceased, in attendance during the last illness
  • A relative or partner of the deceased
  • A personal representative of the deceased (such as a solicitor, family friend, or funeral director who has been appointed by, and is acting on behalf of, the deceased's family)
  • Someone present at the death
  • The occupier of the house or hospital if he or she knew of the death
  • Another person living at the house if he or she knew of the death
  • The person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

If the death occurred elsewhere

  • Any relative of the deceased with knowledge of the particulars required for the registration
  • Someone present at the death
  • Someone who found the deceased
  • A person in charge of the deceased
  • The person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

Documents and information you need to provide

You will need to provide the following documents:

  • The Medical Examiner will send the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) directly to the registrar
  • The deceased's medical card, if available

It would also be beneficial if you could also bring any of the following supporting documents relating to the deceased:

  • Passport
  • Utility bill
  • Driving licence
  • Marriage or Civil Partnership Certificate

You can still register a death without any of these.

You will need to give the following information:

  • Date and place of death
  • Name and surname of the deceased
  • Maiden surname (if applicable)
  • Date and place of birth
  • Occupation
  • If the deceased was married, in a civil partnership, or widowed, the name, occupation and date of birth of their spouse or civil partner.
  • Usual home address of the deceased.
  • Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or allowance from public funds.

It is important that all details are registered correctly to produce the legal record.  If any changes need to be made at a later date it will incur a fee. 

After a death has been registered, you can purchase a death certificate at a cost of £12.50 per certificate.

When making an appointment please note that should you arrive more than 10 minutes late, we may be left with no alternative but to reschedule your appointment.

Book an appointment

Certificate for burial or cremation

When you register a death in the majority of cases the registrar will issue a certificate (green form) for the burial or cremation of the body.

If you are making the funeral arrangements the registrar can arrange to send the green form directly to the burial or cremation authority and the funeral director, although you may wish to deliver it to them yourself.

A funeral cannot proceed until this certificate is given to the burial authority or the crematorium.

If there is a delay to the registration of a death, the registrar can still issue a certificate for burial or cremation before registration but only if the death does not need to be reported to the coroner.

If a death has been reported to the coroner, he or she may issue a certificate for burial or cremation where possible.

Tell Us Once

Lancashire operates the Tell Us Once service. This service allows you to report a death just once and tell those parts of central and local government that require informing, about that death. You will be given a unique reference when you register a death and you can then either telephone a central number with your reference or go online and access the system. 

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