In times of bereavement
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 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:
National Association of Funeral Directors
Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors
These organisations have codes of practice – they must give you a price list when asked.
Some local councils run their own 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.
Nelson’s Journey
Nelson’s Journey are a Norfolk charity that supports children and young people up to their 18th birthday who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life. They provide a range of support, appropriate for the needs of each child or young person.
Phone
01603 431788
Website
www.nelsonsjourney.org.uk
Email
enquiries@nelsonsjourney.org.ukRoadpeace in East Anglia
The aftermath of a road crash is devastating. They help bereaved families cope and build resilience through peer support, their local group network, befriending service and trauma support programmes.
Phone
08454 500 355
Website
www.roadpeace.org
Email
info@roadpeace.orgChild Death Helpline
The Child Death Helpline aims to provide a quality freephone service to anyone affected by the death of a child of any age. Callers to the helpline might be parents, grandparents, siblings, other family members, friends or involved professionals.
Phone
0800 282 986
Website
www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk
Email
contact@childdeathhelpline.orgCompassionate Friends
TCF offers many different kinds of support for bereaved families. Whatever the cause of your loss, wherever you are in the UK, and whatever your circumstances – they’re are here to help.
Phone
03451 232 304
Website
www.tcf.org.uk
Email
helpline@tcf.org.ukBrake
Brake’s helpline is a quality accredited, Freephone, confidential support service, providing information and advocacy, emotional support and a listening ear for survivors of road crashes.
Phone
08088 000 401
Website
www.brake.org.uk/victim-support
Email
helpline@brake.org.ukScotty’s Little Soldiers
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting children & young people who have lost a parent whilst serving in the British Armed Forces.
Phone
08000 928 571
Website
www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk
Email
hello@scottyslittlesoldiers.co.ukBereaved by suicide
Losing a loved one to suicide is an extremely traumatic experience. Our Bereaved by Suicide Service aims to ease the distress and improve the wellbeing of those in Suffolk.
Leaflet
Bereaved by suicide (PDF)