The loss of a loved one is the most traumatic and distressing event in anyone’s life. It is also a time when decisions have to be taken and arrangements need to be made. We aim to help make the process and decision making that little bit easier. See below for helpful information on the first steps and decisions you will need to make.
If the death is at home you should contact the family doctor or local surgery. They will then need to attend to confirm that death has occurred. If the death is in a hospital or residential home, those in charge will contact a doctor for you. The doctor will issue the Medical Certificate which needs to be taken when registering the death. If the cause of death is uncertain, it will be reported to the Coroner. Once the doctor has been and when you are ready, contact us to arrange for the deceased to be brought into our care.
Do not feel that this has to take place immediately; some families wish to wait until other family members have arrived to say their goodbyes at home. It is normal to await the attendance of a doctor before arranging for the deceased to be collected by the Funeral Director. Our staff members are trained to remove the deceased sensitively and efficiently with the utmost respect. The deceased will usually be placed on a special stretcher-trolley and taken to our premises. A pillow and clean sheet is always used and care is taken to follow instructions regarding jewellery and other personal items.
Remember you are always welcome to visit the Chapel of Rest.
Our Chapel of Rest is a lovely room reached from the hallway and is on the ground floor. You are most welcome to visit your loved one at a pre-arranged time. Candles and silk flowers make the room feel homely and comforting.
All deaths need to be registered by the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths in the district where the death takes place. This should be done by a near relative within five days, unless the Coroner is involved.
If no relative is available, then it is sometimes possible for someone else to do it. This could be someone who was present at the death, for example, a senior member of staff from the establishment in which the death occurred or the person making the funeral arrangements but not the funeral director. We can tell you which Registrar you will need to visit. You will need to make an appointment with the chosen Registrar’s Office prior to visiting.
The easiest way to register is online at: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/registration
If you would prefer, you can book an appointment by telephone on 01452 425060.
The Registrar will require:
Once the registration had been completed, the Registrar will issue a green certificate, which must be handed to us as soon as possible, legally allowing burial or cremation to take place. They will also give you a form to send to the Department of Work and Pensions, with any pension or allowance books.
You may purchase copies of the “Entry of Death” which would be needed to administer the estate and claim insurances or close accounts. It is possible to register the death from a distance if a visit to the local registrar is impossible, however this may mean that a couple of extra days are needed before the funeral takes place. This is known as “Registering the Death by Declaration.”
The Coroner
There are a number of reasons why a death may have to be referred to the Coroner, including unnatural or sudden deaths, regardless of how these may appear to have come about. Under such circumstances, different registration procedures will be necessary. In part, this will depend on whether there is to be a burial or a cremation, or if the Coroner has requested an inquest. A sudden death and the Coroner’s intervention can naturally be very distressing, a post-mortem examination may well be required to establish cause of death.
You may have many questions to ask at this time and we are available to answer these questions and keep you well informed at each step.
We have considerable experience in the following:
Registrar
All deaths need to be registered by the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths in the district where the death takes place.
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/registration – if you would prefer, you can book an appointment by telephone on 01452 425060.
Bereavement Office at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General Hospitals
Offer support and advice for relatives and those close to patients who have died in hospital.
Open to the public between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital: 0300 422 6742 or 0300 422 6982
Cheltenham General Hospital: 0300 422 4753 or 0300 4224235
Stonemasons
For burial and cremation memorials and vases.
Ransome Memorials Ltd – 01453 828417
Cottle Memorials – 01453 762877
