A Death Certificate is a document which can be obtained after a death has been registered in the UK. A Death Certificate is a necessary requirement before dealing with an individual’s estate or for funeral arrangements.
If an individual has passed away in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, the death needs to be registered within 5 days.
How do you get a Death Certificate?
If the death is registered, copies of the death certificates can be ordered:
- online from the General Register Office
- over the phone by calling the General Register Office
- through the post using a form found on their website
However, If the death is not registered, you must do so at the registry office closest to the place where the person has passed away. You can obtain copies of the death certificate at the same time.
How much is a death certificate?
Whilst registering the death itself is free, there is a standard fee of £11 which needs to be paid to get a copy of a death certificate.
Why do I need a death certificate?
It is important to obtain a death certificate especially when applying for probate and dealing with assets like property and bank accounts.
An executor of a Will or an Administrator of someone’s estate will be required to send a death certificate to various financial organisations. This could include banks, pension providers and insurance companies
Most financial companies only accept official copies of the death certificate or certified copies made by a professional therefore you will not be able to buy one certificate and photocopy it at home.