Guide to Registering a Death in Havering (Romford Upminster Hornchurch)

We provide free initial advice and assistance for the bereaved. For further details or to book an initial consulatation call or email Emma Crompton on 01708 757575 or Emma.Crompton@ker.co.uk or David Gregory on 01708 757575 or David.Gregory@ker.co.uk .

When and where to register a Death

In England and Wales, you normally need to register the death within five days. It’s best to go to the register office in the area where the person died, as otherwise it may take longer to get the documents you need and this could delay the funeral.

It will take about half an hour to register the death. You may need to make an appointment beforehand.

Your local office is :

Register Office
Langtons House
Billet Lane
Hornchurch For Havering
Romford
Essex
RM11 1XL

Telephone: 01708 433481
Fax: 01708 433413

Email: registration@havering.gov.uk

Remember this is not the probate office – this is merely to register the death. There is no probate office in Romford or Havering.

Who can register a Death

If the person died in a house or hospital, the death can be registered by:
• a relative
• someone present at the death
• an occupant of the house
• an official from the hospital
• the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

Deaths that occurred anywhere else can be registered by:
• a relative
• someone present at the death
• the person who found the body
• the person in charge of the body
• the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

Most deaths are registered by a relative. The registrar would normally only allow other people if there are no relatives available.

Documents and Information you will need

Documents
When registering a death, you’ll need to take the following:
 medical certificate of the cause of death (signed by a doctor)
and, if available:
 birth certificate
 marriage or civil partnership certificate
 NHS Medical Card

Information
You’ll need to tell the registrar:
 the person’s full name at time of death
 any names previously used, including maiden surname
 the person’s date and place of birth (town and county if born in the UK and country if born abroad)
 their last address
 their occupation
 the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving spouse or civil partner
 if they were getting a state pension or any other state benefit

Documents and help you will receive

If a post-mortem is not being held, the registrar will give you:
• a certificate for burial or cremation (called the ‘green form’), giving permission for the body to be buried or to apply for the body to be cremated
• a certificate of registration of death (form BD8), issued for social security purposes if the person was on a state pension or benefits (read the information on the back, complete and return it, if it applies)

You’ll be able to buy one or more death certificates at this time (the price varies between local authorities). These will be needed by the executor or administrator when sorting out the person’s affairs.

You may need to tell a number of different government departments and agencies about the death. The registrar can advise you on how to go about this.

If a post-mortem is needed, the coroner will issue any documents you need as quickly as possible afterwards.

If there is an error in a death record, details can be changed or added. Ideally the person who registered the death should arrange this with the office where the death was registered. You may be asked for evidence to prove an error was made.

If the Death is referred to a Coroner

In a small number of cases – where the cause of death is unclear, sudden or suspicious – the doctor, hospital or registrar will report the death to the coroner. The coroner must then decide if there should be further investigation. The registrar cannot register the death until the coroner’s decision is made.

Funeral Arrangements

We can assist you with advice on who to contact locally to make these arrangements.

Next Steps

See our guide on What to do when someone dies

Wills and Probate

If there is a Will:
The executor can contact us (if this isn’t you) to seek if we can assist in the process of obtaining probate. We offer fixed fee costs and we take the worry out of organising the deceased affairs and ensure that the funds are distributed in accordance with their wishes.

If there is no Will:
When someone dies without leaving a Will, dealing with their estate can be complicated. It can also take a long time – months or even years in some very complex cases.

Don’t worry though – we can guide you through the process of obtaining ‘letters of administration’ and explain how assets are distributed in such circumstances. You will need to show us all the information and documentation you have about the deceased person’s property, belongings and financial affairs. In the meantime, it may be a good idea to put small valuable items away for safekeeping.

We can provide advice in obtaining the Probate and Letters of Administration. For small estates we can do this for a fixed fee. As part of this process we can advise on tax liability (both Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax) and assist in practical matters such as advising on property valuations and sales through local agents (and we can also advise on special rates we have with certain agents).

Making a new Will

Don’t forget surviving relatives and friends of the deceased may need to make a new Will. It’s important to ask us about this.

Other things that need to be done

See our checklist “What to do when somebody dies” which you can download for free below.

For further details or to book an initial consulatation call or email Emma Crompton on 01708 757575 or Emma.Crompton@ker.co.uk or David Gregory on 01708 757575 or David.Gregory@ker.co.uk .