Help and advise

WHAT DO I DO?

For most people the death of a relative or close friend is a very traumatic experience.

They feel intense emotions and even the most organised people often feel confused and a little helpless. The purpose of a Funeral Director is to offer professional advice and guidance to assist you in making the funeral arrangements.

You can contact a Funeral Director of you choice for advice at any time following a death, even before registration.

You should try and find out if the deceased left a Will or any instructions regarding their funeral.

Is burial or cremation in order, with a religious or non-religious service in church or chapel?

Is there an existing family grave i.e. either for a full burial or cremated remains?

How to Register a Death

 A death must be registered within five days. This can be extended in exceptional circumstances or if the coroner is involved. A death can only be registered once the registrar has received a scanned (Medical Certificate of Cause of Death) from the doctor, we will inform you when the registrar has received the relevant paperwork which then you will be able to make an appointment to register the death. 

If the death occurred in the Torbay Area then you can register at Paignton Library, located on Great Western Road opposite Paignton Bus Station. Appointments are available Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Telephone number: 01803 207130 https://www.torbay.gov.uk/registrar/deaths/register-a-death/  

 To register a death you must be either a relative, someone present at the death, the owner/manager/matron of the residential home or hospital administrator where the death occurred or
the person responsible for arranging the funeral. When attending the appointment, we recommend you bring with you some ID for yourself like your passport or driving license.

When attending your appointment, the registrar will need some information from you regarding the person who has died. The date and place of death, the full name of the person, details of any other names they were known by, their date and place of birth, their occupation and whether they were retired,
their usual address, if the person who died was a married, the full name and occupation of their spouse,
whether they were in receipt of a pension from government funds, such as teachers, civil services, armed forces etc, if the deceased was married, the date of birth of the spouse,
if available the person’s NHS number.