Register a death

Who can register a death 

Where possible a death should be registered by a relative of the person who has died, but other people who can register include: 

• a partner
• a personal representative
• a person present at the death
• the owner or manager of the residential home where the death occurred 
• the person responsible for arranging the funeral

How to register a death

If the person died in Brighton & Hove then you will need to register the death with us.

Book an appointment to register a death online. 

You can also book over the phone with our Register Office.

What you’ll need to take to your appointment 

Legislation has allowed Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to be emailed directly from a medical practitioner to the Registration Service. 

If the Coroner is involved they will advise you of what you need to do to register. 

During the appointment, we’ll ask you for information about the person who has died: 

• the date and place of the death 
• their full name (and any names they have previously been known by) 
• their date and place of birth 
• their occupation (and if applicable the full name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner) 
• their usual address 
• if the person who has died was married or in a civil partnership, the date of birth of their surviving spouse or civil partner 
• whether they were receiving a pension from public funds 
• their NHS number 

It will help us to register the death if you have access to some documents relating to the person who has died, but we can still register without them. 

This includes: 

• passport 
• proof of address (council tax bill or utilities bill) 
• if applicable, their marriage or civil partnership certificate 
• birth certificate 
• if applicable, any name change documents such as change of name deed or deed poll  

What happens after your appointment

Once the death is registered, the certificate for burial or cremation will be forwarded electronically to the relevant authority who will be managing the funeral. In some cases this will be issued by the Coroner. 

The Tell us Once service is available and will be offered at the time of registration. Find more information about the Tell Us Once service. 

If the person who has died had any involvement with Adult Social Care, it is important to inform them of the death as soon as possible.