Losing a loved one is never easy and it can be difficult and confusing having to think about funeral arrangements when you are grieving. To help, we’ve put together some advice and resources that will guide you through what to do when someone dies.
What to do when someone dies
What to do when someone dies
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Register the death
A death that occurred in the London Borough of Brent, must be registered within 5 days from the receipt of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
The Medical Examiner or Coroner will send the information to the Brent Register Office once the cause of death has been agreed between the Medical Examiner or Coroner and the Next of Kin.
In cases of a still birth, the Medical Certificate of Cause of death will be sent to the Registrar from the hospital Midwife.
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Arrange the funeral
Your loved one may have already expressed their funeral wishes to help you plan a meaningful farewell.
If not, you may need to plan and arrange the funeral yourself, which can be quite overwhelming.
We appreciate that any loss is a difficult and you may want to wait and plan a funeral where all your family and friends can have a chance to pay their respects. However, we ask that funerals are held without delay.
To make this process easier, you can get help from a funeral service, who can help you arrange either a burial or cremation.
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Notify government and financial organisations
When someone dies, there are lots of organisations that you will need to notify. The government’s Tell Us Once service, allows you to report a death to several central and local government departments rather than having to tell them all individually.
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Check if you can get bereavement benefits
You might be eligible for financial help if your spouse, civil partner or close family member has died. This could include help with funeral costs.
To find more information about bereavement benefits and how to claim, please visit GOV.UK.
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Dealing with someone's estate
If you're a close friend or relative of the person who's died or the executor of the will, you might have to deal with their money, assets and property. You can do this by applying for probate.
To find more information applying for probate, visit GOV.UK.
Contact the Brent Register Office
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Saturday, 9am to 4pm
Sunday, 9am to 1pm
Address
Brent Register Office
Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley
HA9 0FJ
Phone: 0208 937 1010
If you require an urgent burial during bank holiday closures, a Registrar is on standby between 8am and 10am.
Please call 0208 937 1010 for our out-of-office telephone message which provides the mobile number you should contact.