A death must be registered within five days unless the registrar says this period may be extended. A death must be registered by relative or someone present at the death.
You can register a death at the register office in Hanley or at the Royal Stoke University Hospital bereavement office. You need to make an appointment with the registrar to register a death.
If you register in the district where the death occurred you will be given the certificate when you register. If you register at another office the registrar will send your details and payment to the appropriate register office. That office will then post the death certificate to you. This may cause a delay in organising the funeral.
If a coroner has been involved it may be necessary to wait for the coroner to issue documents to the registrar before an appointment can be made.
The registrar will give you:
- a certificate for burial or cremation (known as the green form) – this allows the funeral to take place. Sometimes a coroner will issue an alternative certificate allowing the burial or cremation to take place
- a certificate of registration of death (Form BD8/344) is for social security purposes
- a death certificate, there is a fee for this and you can buy additional death certificates if required