Cofrestru Marwolaeth
Sut i gofrestru marwolaeth yng Nghymru a Lloegr.
Trosolwg
When someone dies in England or Wales, their death must be registered within 5 days at the register office for the area where the death occurred. Registration is free. You will need a medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) from the doctor. In some cases, the coroner must be informed first.
Proses gam wrth gam
Obtain the medical certificate
The doctor who attended the deceased during their last illness will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This states the cause of death. If the death is reported to the coroner, the coroner will issue their own certificate after investigation.
- If the death occurred in hospital, the hospital will arrange the MCCD
- The death must be reported to the coroner if the cause is unknown, violent, unnatural, during surgery, or the deceased was not seen by a doctor within 28 days before death
Register the death
Take the MCCD to the register office in the area where the death occurred. An appointment may be needed. The registrar will ask about the deceased: full name, date/place of birth, occupation, address, NHS number, and marital status. The informant (person registering) should be a relative, someone present at death, or the occupier of the premises.
- You can register in person or, in some areas, by telephone/video call since 2024
- Bring the deceased's birth certificate, marriage certificate, and NHS medical card if available
Obtain death certificates
The registrar will give you a free certificate for burial or cremation (the 'green form') and a form for DWP (BD8). You can buy certified copies of the death certificate — you will need several for banks, insurers, pension providers, and probate.
- Certified copies cost £11 each — order several at registration as it is cheaper than ordering later
- You need at least 3-4 copies: bank, pension, insurance, probate
Tell Us Once
The registrar will offer to use the 'Tell Us Once' service to notify multiple government departments of the death in one go, including DWP, HMRC, Passport Office, DVLA, and the local council.
- This saves you contacting each department separately
- You will still need to contact banks, insurers, and private organisations yourself
Costau
Rhybuddion pwysig
If you miss the 5-day deadline, you may need to explain the delay to the registrar. After 12 months, registration requires the Registrar General's authority.
If the coroner is involved, registration may be delayed until the coroner's investigation is complete.