After a loved one passes away

It’s natural to experience shock and a feeling of helplessness when someone close passes away. It’s our job to remain composed and considered at such times and provide support from the first moment that you contact us.

Don’t struggle alone – get in touch as soon as possible so we can arrange conveyance of the deceased to the hospital, answer your questions, offer advice and counsel, and start to make initial arrangements for the funeral.

There are various responsibilities that only certain people – i.e. relatives and friends – can assume when someone passes away. For that reason, we advise that you contact us with minimal delay after the point of death. It is not always necessary for us to visit – if death occurs at a hospital, for example – but, nevertheless, we can put your mind at ease about the necessary duties that must be completed before proceeding with the funeral.

If death occurs at home or at a rest home:

• You should first contact the doctor who cared for the person who has passed away. They will visit to confirm and certificate the death, officially permitting the deceased to be passed into our care.
• Contact us. We will also be on hand to answer your preliminary questions about the funeral preparations.

When death occurs in hospital:

• Contact us straight away. We will take you through the next steps and begin preparations for the funeral.
• You will be able to collect the Certificate of Death from the hospital, which should then be submitted to the Registrar’s office for the area in which the death occurred. It is advisable to take other official documentation about the deceased – marriage, birth and medical certificates, for example.
• Documents from the Registrar officially give the go-ahead for a burial or cremation to take place. You will be issued with a green certificate that you should pass to us without delay. This instructs us to take responsibility for the funeral arrangements and advises us of any state funding to which you are entitled, for assistance with costs.
• We will liaise with you regarding options for the funeral and commence with making arrangements.

If death occurs unexpectedly:

• Contact us as soon as possible and we can talk you through the process for the sudden or unexpected passing of your loved one.
• The Coroner will be automatically involved in most cases when someone dies unexpectedly. There are a number of reasons why, such as your loved one not being regularly cared for by a doctor.

If death occurs overseas or away from home:

• If your loved one has died overseas or some distance away from home, contact us as soon as possible.
• We will be able to make all the necessary arrangements for you.

Choosing where you want your loved one to rest before the funeral:

• Speak to us about your wishes – whether you would like your loved one at home prior to the funeral or for them to remain at our funeral home.
• We would ask that if you decide to have them at home you allow us to bring them into our care first, so we can make the necessary preparations before we return them home to you at a later date.

Issuing of the green certificate:

• The Registrar will issue the green certificate for burial or cremation.
• We will require this before the funeral takes place.
• If you require a certified copy of the entry of death for financial or legal purposes you can obtain this for a small charge.
• If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the process will differ, but we will be more than happy to discuss this with you.

Affairs of your loved one:

There are a number of things you may wish to consider:

• Accounts with: banks, building societies, Post Office, premium bonds and the Co-Operative Society.
• Payments for: insurance policies, rental or HP agreements, standing orders or credit cards.
• Change of name in responsibility for: electric, gas, telephone, car, car insurance, house insurance and TV licence etc.
• Notification of circumstances: once someone dies the financial circumstances for the family will change and there is help available from the state, such as grants and allowances towards funeral costs, rent/council tax rebates and widow’s pensions.