Help for Carers > Different caring situations > Former carers > After a death

After a death

Bereavement

When someone dies there are many decisions and arrangements to be made. Unfortunately these often have to be made at a time of personal distress.

Practical advice and support may be provided by friends, family, doctor, nurse, solicitor, minister of religion or anyone involved with you or the person who has died.

A Funeral Director can also explain about arrangements that have to be made.

What must be done?

A death must be registered within 5 working days (unless the Registrar says this period may be exceeded). If a death has been referred to a coroner, it cannot be registered until the Registrar has received authority from the coroner.

If the person died at home, their GP will certify the cause of death and give you a Medical Certificate and Formal Notice telling you how to register the death. If the person died in hospital, the hospital will issue the certificate.

When you go to the Registrar you should take the Medical Certificate, Birth and Marriage Certificates and the medical card of the deceased if possible. The Registrar will give you a form for the Funeral Director (unless the coroner is involved) and a form for the Department of Social Security so that pensions, allowances, benefits can be stopped or changed as appropriate.

There is a charge for each copy of the Death Certificate which you may need from the Registrar. Registrars in West Sussex can be found at:
www.westsussex.gov.uk/living/births_marriages_and_deaths/

Tax and Estate

What to do about tax when someone dies. - the government's Revenues and Customs website providing information and downloadable forms about all types of tax

Details of local Tax Offices: www.hmrc.gov.uk/enq/index.htm - type in your town or post code

You can get more information from:

What to do when someone dies - a comprehensive guide from Age UK

Registering a Death - information about registering a death from the West Sussex County Council website

There are people who can help:

The Citizen's Advice Bureau - A national voluntary organisation providing free information and advice on a wide range of issues. The website contains a great deal of useful information on a huge range of topics.

West Sussex Carers Support Services

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