Dealing with the death of a loved one is a trying time.

When a loved one passes away, we know that you need support now more than ever, and we understand that you have enough to think about without worrying about the many practicalities that need to be taken care of.

We can help you take the first steps in organising proceedings when someone you care about passes away.

Rest assured that as soon as you call, we can take care of a number of necessary tasks such as transporting the deceased to the funeral home if they passed away at home. We can then begin to make initial arrangements for the funeral.

Ideally, you should contact us as soon as you can. We can then arrange to meet to advise you on the next steps so you don’t become overwhelmed at this emotional time.

Here are the first things you will need to consider when a loved one passes away:

At home or at a rest home

Call the deceased’s doctor, who will attend to confirm the death and sign a certificate.
Contact us. We will arrange for the deceased to be taken into our care. We will be available to offer any advice you might need and to offer support and a sympathetic ear, while carrying out our professional duties at this difficult time.

In hospital

You will need to inform us of the death so we can begin making arrangements and guide you through the next stages of the process.
Collect the Death Certificate from the hospital and take it to registrar’s office for the area in which the death occurred. If possible, you might also take the deceased’s medical card, birth certificate and/or marriage certificate.
The registrar will provide various documents, officially authorising burial or cremation. These will include a green certificate that you should pass to us at the earliest opportunity.
The green certificate allows us to assume responsibility for arranging the funeral, including advice on any relevant state benefit to which you may be entitled.
We will stand by your side and work with you at every stage – to make arranging the funeral as straightforward and stress free as possible.

Sudden or unexpected

When someone dies unexpectedly it is standard practice for the Coroner to be involved.
There are lots of reasons why this happens; one being that the person who has died has not been under doctor’s care on a regular basis.
Contact us as soon as possible after the death and we will be able to explain what happens next and liaise with the Coroner’s office.

Away from home or abroad

When someone dies either abroad or some distance away in the UK, contact us and we will make all the necessary arrangements for you.

When we bring your loved one into our care we will ask you where you would like them to rest before the funeral, either at home or at our funeral home. If you decide you would like them at home we ask that you allow us to bring them into our care first, returning them home at a later time after all necessary preparations have been completed.

The Registrar will issue a green certificate for burial or cremation which we will require prior to the funeral taking place. Certified copies of the entry of death can be obtained for a small charge – these may be needed for legal or financial purposes. If the death has been referred to the Coroner the registration process may vary – we will advise you accordingly.

The affairs of the person who has passed away

Below is a list of things you may need to consider.

Accounts with banks, building societies, Post Office, premium bonds and Co-Operative Society.
Payments being made for insurance policies, rental or HP agreements, standing orders and credit cards.
Change of name or responsibility for electricity, gas, telephone, car, car insurance, house insurance, TV license etc.
Notification of circumstances: the financial circumstances of the remaining family have now altered and various grants and allowances may be available from the state, e.g. help towards funeral expenses, rent/council tax rebates, widow’s pension etc. Your local Town Hall, Citizen’s Advice Bureau or DWP office will be able to help you.