When a Death Occurs

 

Registering The Death

 

Arranging A Funeral

 

Final Touches

 

The Funeral Day

 

After Care

 

Tutorial for Pallbearers: How to Carry a Loved Ones Coffin

 

Why have a Photographer or Videographer at a funeral?

 

How To Register A Death

 

If the death is expected and occurs at home: 

  • Contact the deceased’s doctor and inform them of the death
  • Once the doctor has given permission to move the deceased, you may contact us and we will aim to be with you within 1-2 hours, to move the person who has died into our care
  • The doctor will issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the family representative for registration purposes

If the death occurs at a Nursing Home:

  • If a resident dies in a nursing home the GP (or qualified nurse on duty) can verify death 
  • The GP will issue a medical certificate for the family to collect which will allow them to register
  • Most nursing homes will record the resident’s funeral wishes on their care plan. This will specify the chosen Funeral Director and whether the deceased wanted a cremation or a burial. 
  • Once called, we will remove the deceased into our care

If the death occurs in Hospital:

  • If death occurs at the hospital, then the Doctors and Nurses will liaise with the hospital Bereavement Office, who will arrange all the appropriate paperwork on your behalf. 

In cases of sudden and unexpected death:

  • If a death is unexpected then dial 999 and request an ambulance and police immediately, explaining the circumstances. In the event of an unexpected death occurring, then a coroner may become involved and may order a post-mortem to be carried out to establish an accurate cause of death. The coroner’s officer will keep you informed should this be the case and will liaise with us.

In cases where the Coroner is required to investigate the death, the deceased will be taken to a hospital or mortuary until a post-mortem examination is completed. If the death is expected, the funeral director will collect the deceased from the place of death and transport them to the appropriate chapel of rest, pending the arrangement of the funeral. Many large companies have central mortuaries or “hubs” where they store the deceased.

Here at W. Uden & Sons, each of our funeral homes are equipped with their own chapel of rest and have fully hygienic facilities for the care of your loved one. The only exception to this is our Dulwich branch, which shares these facilities with our branch at Camberwell.

Yes, once the deceased’s death has been certified, call your local branch and our experienced staff will guide you through the process of arranging the funeral. The only exception is when the Coroner has indicated that he intends to hold a full inquest into the circumstances surrounded the death.

Please click here to find details of your local Registrar Office 

Who can register a death?

  • A relative 
  • A person present at the death 
  • The occupier (i.e. Matron, superintendent) 
  • The person arranging the funeral 

Call the registry office to make an appointment – you will need to take the following with you:

  • Death Certificate of the deceased
  • Medical card (if available) of the deceased
  • Birth certificate & information regarding date of birth (if available) of the deceased
  • Some money to pay for copies of the death certificate required to administer the deceased’s estate.

Bereavement Support

The death of a loved one can be a very distressing time, and while we are here to help you through the arrangements for the funeral, we know that it is often the time after the funeral that is the most difficult.

Please find below some links that may be of use if you would like ongoing bereavement support and advice.

Cruse

Helps people through one of the most painful times in life – with bereavement support, information and campaigning.

 

Marie Curie

Offers a safe, confidential space to discuss your feelings and emotions around bereavement.

 

SANDS

Provides excellent bereavement care and support after pregnancy loss and baby death.

 

Samaritans

Provides emotional support to anyone in emotional distress.

 

Sue Ryder

Bereavement support to people facing the most difficult times of their lives.

 

 There may be additional peer support services in many areas, information about these can often be found at places of worship, community centres, libraries or your doctor’s surgery.

Bereavement grants and financial support

Did you know that if your partner dies and you are under the state pension age you may be eligible to receive Bereavement Support Payment from the Government?

This Bereavement Support Payment is not means-tested. This means what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.

If you have low income and or are claiming benefits you may also be eligible to claim for a funeral support payment to assist you to pay for your loved ones funeral as well as your bereavement support payment.

How soon you make your claim can also affect how much money you can receive. You usually need to make a claim within 3 months of your partner’s death to receive the full amount, but it is certainly worth investigating even if this time has passed.

To find out more about bereavement payments all you need to do is go to www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment  or call the Government bereavement helpline on  0800 151 2012

Please note, these bereavement grants are made available from the government and all questions, including eligibility, would need to be directed to them via the contact details above. 

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Christmas Remembrance Services 2024

We are delighted to be able to invite you and your family to our 2024 Remembrance Services

This year they will be held at:

ST MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS LOCKSBOTTOM
Thursday 5th December
7:30pm – 8:30pm

CHRISTCHURCH ELTHAM
Wednesday 11th December
7:30pm – 9:00pm