In Times of Bereavement

Support from Practice

Bereavement can be an incredibly difficult time, and everyone experiences it differently. Some may find it harder to come to terms with their loss than others. At our practice, our priority is to support each individual during this challenging period and ensure they receive the care and understanding they need.

If you are struggling to cope mentally or need well-being support, please don’t hesitate to book an appointment with us. Our professionals are here to listen and help you through this journey.

Click here to book an appointment or alternatively give us a call on 01926 403 800

What are the next steps?

In the unfortunate event that a person has passed away, there are three things that must be done in the first few days;

Get a medical certificate from your GP or hospital doctor (this is necessary to register the death)
Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). You will then receive the necessary documents for the funeral.
Make the necessary funeral arrangements.

Register the death

If the death has been reported to the coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) they must give permission before registering the death.

You can register the death if you are a relative, a witness to the death, a hospital administrator or the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors.

You can use the ‘Register a Death’ page on the gov.uk website that will guide you through the process. This will also explain the registration process for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Arrange the funeral

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral directors

Choose a funeral director who’s a member of one of the following:

These organisations have codes of practice – they must give you a price list when asked.

Some local councils run their own funeral services, for example for non-religious burials. The British Humanist Association can also help with non-religious funerals.

Arranging the funeral yourself

Contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your local council to arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can include:

funeral director fees
things the funeral director pays for on your behalf (called ‘disbursements’ or ‘third-party costs’), for example, crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement about the death
local authority burial or cremation fees

Funeral directors may list all these costs in their quotes.