Registering a death

How to register a death

A death can only be registered once we have the Medical Cause of Death Certificate from the doctor, or in the case of a death reported to the coroner, confirmation from the coroner's office that the appropriate certificates have been issued by his office.

Arrangements are in place with all hospitals and GP surgeries across Cheshire East for the transmission of the Medical Cause of Death (MCCD) to the Register Office.

Once we have received the MCCD, it will need to be checked by the Registration Service and, if required, the coroner contacted.
You should allow a day after the MCCD has been sent to us by the doctor to make a death registration appointment.
You must then phone 0300 123 5019 to make an appointment to register the death.
You should then receive an email confirming your appointment with information about the details you will need to register the death. The email will also include details of how to pre-pay for any death certificates that you require.
The size of our offices means that we can accommodate a maximum of 2 people for each appointment.
A death must be registered within 5 calendar days. This period can be extended in exceptional circumstances and if the coroner is involved.
The registration must take place in the district where the death happened.

If there is an inquest, or the death has to be referred to the coroner, the coroner's officer will advise you of how the case is progressing.

For information on deaths that happen abroad, visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.

Where to register a death

We have an appointment system - call the Registration Service 0300 123 5019 to make or amend an appointment with the registrar.

The appointments are held at Crewe Municipal Buildings or Macclesfield Town Hall.

People who can register the death:

a relative of the deceased
a person who was present at the death
the person who is arranging the funeral
the occupier of the establishment where the death took place

Information the registrar will need about the death:

the date and place of death
their full name and any other names they are known by or have been known by and the maiden name of a woman who has been married
their date and place of birth
their occupation (if married, widowed or a civil partner, the full name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner)
their usual address
date of birth of surviving spouse or civil partner
whether they were in receipt of any public sector pension, e.g. civil service, teacher, armed forces (reference number if known)
their NHS number or medical card, if available

To help ensure the accuracy of the information recorded in the register, it would be helpful if you have available supporting documentation (for example, passport, driving licence, utility bill, birth and marriage certificates). This will reduce the need for corrections to the entry in the future and the inconvenience and potential costs involved. There is an additional fee for any change that needs to be made to a death entry.

Do not worry if any of these documents are not available as the registrar can still register the death.

The registration also records information about the person registering:

your relationship to the deceased
your full name
your usual address
All information is given to the best of your knowledge

Certificates that are issued:

A certificate for burial or cremation, known as the green form, which the funeral director will need. Arrangements are in place for us to send the 'green' to the appropriate person
A certificate for the Benefits Agency. You will need to complete this and send it to off to cancel the deceased's state pension and any other state allowances.
Death certificates. You may need certified copies of the death entry for other purposes (dealing with the will, probate, bank accounts, insurance and so on). Everyone's circumstances are different, but the average number of certificates issued to deal with the deceased's estate is five. You may need fewer and if you find you need more later, these can be purchased from the register office.
Urgent burial within 24 hours after the information has been entered into the death register, the registrar will issue the necessary forms and certificates.

Paying for a death certificate

There is no facility to take payment during your appointment. You can buy any certificates you need before your appointment by completing the pay for a death certificate online form. The fee is £12.50 per certificate and the form takes 2 minutes to complete.

Pay for a death certificate

Have your receipt available to show the registrar and they will be able to print your certificates during the registration appointment.

Tell us once

When someone has died, there are lots of things that need to be done. One of these is contacting the government departments and local council services that need to be told. Cheshire East Registration Service is now providing a service which will make it easier to inform these departments and services when someone has died. Further information is available on the links below:

The Tell Us Once service has produced a short video to explain how the Tell Us Once service works. It lasts for less than three minutes.

For information on Bereavement Services, see Cheshire East Bereavement Services.

Contact the Register Office

Email creweregisteroffice@cheshireeast.gov.uk or see Gov.UK.

Page last reviewed: 09 July 2024