If Death Occurs in Hospital

If the death occurs in hospital, the hospital staff will contact the person named by the deceased as next of kin. This may be, but need not be ,a relative. You may, if you wish, request to see the hospital chaplain. The hospital will keep the body in the hospital mortuary until the executor arranges for it to be taken away. 

Most funeral directors have a chapel of rest in which the deceased will be held pending the funeral. Hospital staff will arrange for the nearest relative to collect the deceased’s possessions.

Expected Death

If the death was expected, contact the doctor who attended the deceased during their illness. If the doctor can certify the cause of death, he or she will give you the following:
 
A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE that shows the cause of death (this is free of charge and will be in a sealed envelope addressed to the registrar)A FORMAL NOTICE that states that the doctor has signed the Medical Certificate and tells you how to get the death register.
You may wish to contact the deceased’s minister of religion if you have not already done so. Arrangements for the funeral may be by a funeral director. If death followed illness from HIV or AIDS there may be special rules about handling the body. The following organisation can advise on funeral arrangements: 
London Lighthouse
FACTS Health Centre
Terrence Higgins Trust.                                                                                                            
 
Unexpected Death
 
If you discover a body or the death is sudden or unexpected, you should contact the following people:
The Family doctor (if known)
The deceased’s nearest relative
The deceased’s minister of religion
The police, who will help find the people listed above if necessary. 
 
If there is any reason to suspect that the death was not due to natural causes, do not touch or remove anything in the room. The death may be referred to the coroner.

Cause of death
 
If the cause of death is quite clear the doctor will give you a Medical Certificate and a Formal Notice that the medical certificate has been signed.
 
Post-mortem
 
If the death was known to be caused by a natural illness but the doctor wish to know more the cause of death, they may ask the relatives for permission to carry out a post-mortem examination. This is a medical examination of the body which can find out more about the cause of death and should not delay the funeral.

Reporting A Death to the Coroner

In any of the following circumstances the doctor may report the death to the coroner
* An accident or injury
* An industrial disease
* During a surgical operation
* Before recovery from an anaesthetic
* If the cause of death is unknown
* The death was sudden and unexplained, for instance, a sudden infant death (cot death).
  The coroner may be the only person who can certify the cause of death. The doctor will write on the Formal Notice that the death has been referred to the coroner.  If the doctor treating the deceased had not seen him or her, either after death or within 14 days before death, the death must be reported to the coroner.

The Coroner

The coroner is a doctor or lawyer responsible for investigating deaths in the following situations:* The deceased was not attended by a doctor during the last illness or the doctor treating the deceased had not seen him or her either after death or within 14 days before death
* The death was violent or unnatural or occurred under suspicious circumstances
* The cause of death is not known or is uncertain
* The death occurred while the patient was undergoing an operation or did not recover from the anaesthetic
* The death was caused by an industrial disease
* The death occurred in prison or in police custody.If you want advice or information about a death which has been reported to the coroner, contact the coroner’s office. You can get the address from the police station or, if death was in hospital, the hospital official dealing with deaths.

Coroner's Post-Mortem

The coroner may arrange for a post-mortem examination of the body. The consent of the relatives is not needed, but they are entitled to be represented at the examination by a doctor. When relatives have told the coroner they wish to be represented, the coroner will, if at all practicable, tell them when and where the examination will be.

If the death occurs in the hospital, the coroner will arrange for the examination to be carried out by a pathologist other than one employed at or connected with that hospital, if a relative asks the coroner to do so and if it does not cause an undue delay. 

The removal of a body from the place of death to the mortuary for post-mortem examination will usually be paid for by the coroner. The relatives may choose the funeral director.

However, in some areas a funeral director will be appointed by the coroner to remove the body from the place of death to the hospital mortuary. The relatives can then choose a funeral director to carry out the funeral, once the coroner has released the body.

If the post-mortem shows that death was due to normal causes, the coroner may issue a notification known as pink form B (form 100) which gives the cause of death so that the death can be registered. But may give it to you to deliver.

If the body is to be cremated the coroner will give you the certificate for cremation (form E)  which allows cremation to take place.

An inquest is an enquiry into the medical cause and circumstances of a death.  It is held in public, sometimes with a jury. It is up to the coroner how to organise the enquiry in a way to best server the public interest and the interest of the relatives.  The coroner will hold an inquest if the death was:
Violent or unnatural
Or caused by a reportable industrial disease
Or the death occurred in prison
Or if the cause of death remains uncertain after post-mortem examination.

Coroner's hold inquest in these circumstances even if the death occurred abroad (and the body is returned to UK).

If a body is lost (usually at sea) a coroner can hold an inquest by order of the secretary of states if death is likely to have occurred in or near a coroner’s jurisdiction.  If an inquest is held, the coroner must inform the following people:
 
The married partner of the deceased
The nearest relative (if different)
And the personal representative.
 
Relative can attend an inquest and ask questions of witnesses but they may only ask questions about the medical cause and circumstances of the death.

It may be important to have a lawyer to represent you if the death was caused by a road accident, or an accident at work, or other circumstances which could lead to a claim for compensation. You cannot get legal aid for this.

If the enquiries take some time, ask the coroner to give you a letter confirming the death. You can use this letter for social security and national insurance (NI) purposes.  The coroner may give you an order for burial (form 101) or a certificate for cremation (form E) so that the funeral can take place.

This may be done before the inquest is completed, provided the body is not required for further examination.  The coroner will also send a certificate after inquest (form 99 (rev), stating the cause of death, to the registrar. This allows the death to be registered.

Moving A Body out of the UK

Only the coroner can give permission for a body to be moved out of UK. This permission has to be obtained at least 4 days before the body is to be moved so that any necessary enquiries may be carried out.

Afterwards you will be given a removal notice (form 104), part of which is sent to the registrar after the funeral. Permission must be obtained whenever the funeral is to take place outside UK

This procedure applies in all cases where the body is to be moved out of UK, not just where a death was reported to the coroner. 
When moving a body out of the UK 5 Documents are needed for repatriation (These Documents are compulsory)
A. - 'Out of UK Form'
B. - 'Free From Infection Certificate'
C. - 'Death Certificate'
D. - 'Embalming Certificate'
E. - 'Funneral Directors Declaration' - As to contents of Coffin, Casket or Urn.

Summary of Forms and Cretificates

Listed are some of the forms and certificates you will be given by the doctors and coroners.  The list explains when and where you get each form.