How to register a death

When someone dies, their death must be registered by the local Registrar.

The doctor who treated the person during their last illness will usually issue a medical certificate of Cause of Death.

You should give this certificate to the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district where the person died.

If the death has been reported to the Coroner
The informant will need to wait until the registrar has a certificate from the Coroner. You will be told if this is the case.

Who can register the death?
The following people can register a person’s death:

A relative
Someone who was with the person when they died
Someone who is arranging the funeral (but not a Funeral Director)

It is possible for other people to register the death in certain circumstances. If you are unsure whether you can register, please telephone the Register Office and they will be able to advise you.

Where should you register?
You should register a death with the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district where the person died.

If they died on the Isle of Wight, you should register their death at the Isle of Wight Register Office. The contact number is: 01983 823233 and the address is: The Register Office, Seaclose Offices, Fairlee Road, Newport PO30 2QS.

Registering by Declaration
If you do not live on the Isle of Wight, or it would be difficult for you to attend this office, you can take the information to any other Registrar of Births and Deaths in England or Wales. The death will not be registered there, but the information will be posted to us and once we have received the details your documents will be sent to you immediately.

Please be aware that this may interfere with the funeral arrangements

Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes, please telephone us during our opening hours of 08.30am to 17.00, Monday to Thursday, and 08.30 to 16.30 on Friday. The telephone number for this is: 01983 823233.

When should I register a death?
You should usually register a death within 5 days. However, in exceptional circumstances, the Registrar may agree to delay this.

What information will the registrar need?
The Registrar will need the following information about the person who has died:

The date and place of their death
Their full name - and any previous names they have used
Their date of birth and where they were born (usually just the town and county)
Their occupation - if now retired, the last or main occupation before retirement
Their usual address
Your full name and usual address

If the person who has died was a married woman, the Registrar will also need to know:

Her maiden surname
Her husband’s full name
Her husband’s occupation - if retired, the last or main occupation before retirement.

General Information
The Registrar will also ask if the person who has died was in receipt of any pension or allowance from Government or public funds e.g. Civil Service, Naval Base, Armed Forces etc. This will be required so that the Registrar can forward a Form 111 directly to the organisation, so that the pension payments can be adjusted/withdrawn.

With what documents will I be issued?
The Registrar will give you:

A white certificate (form BD8) with an SAE, which you should use to inform the Department of Work and Pensions about the death.
A green form which the Funeral Director will need to arrange the funeral.

If the death has been reported to the Coroner, the Registrar may tell you that a burial or cremation certificate has already been issued directly to the Funeral Director. If this is the case, you will not need the green form.

Is there a charge for registering a death?
No, there is no charge for registering a death. However, you pay for each copy of the death certificate may need for informing banks, building societies, insurance companies, solicitor etc. Copy certificates are currently £3.50 each on the day of registration only, and £7.00 whilst still in a current register. After the register has been archived, the charge increases to £9.00 per certificate.

Please note
The white form BD8 and the green form for the Funeral Director are the only free forms with which you will be issued.

Contact details:

The Register Office
Seaclose Offices,
Fairlee Road,
Newport
PO30 2QS

Telephone 01983 823233 to make an appointment.

The office opening hours for Seaclose Offices are 08.30am to 17.00, Monday to Thursday, and 08.30 to 16.30 on Friday.

Page last updated on: 12/11/2010