Registering a death

All deaths must be registered within 5 days of the death. This period may be extended in exceptional circumstances and if the Coroner is involved. The registration must take place in the district where the death happened.

How to register

Following a change in legislation (Coronavirus Act 2020) the registration of deaths will now be completed over the phone until further notice.

To make a telephone appointment please ring 0121 704 8002 and ensure you give us your preferred telephone number to contact you on.

A registrar will contact you at the appointment time and complete the registration with you over the telephone.

The death can be registered by:

  • a relative of the deceased
  • someone present at the death
  • the occupier of the premises where the death occurred, if he or she knew of the death
  • another person living at the house, if he or she knew of the death
  • the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors

Following a change in legislation (Coronavirus Act 2020) the list of qualified informants is temporarily extended to include a funeral director (where they are acting on behalf of the family)

If someone has died in Solihull and needs to be buried within a short timeframe you can contact us on weekends and bank holidays between 9.00am to 12 noon.

Call 0121 704 8002 and hold the line until you're transferred to our out of hours team.

Covid-19 – We are currently unable to register deaths that have been referred to the coroner outside normal office hours including Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.

We are still offering an emergency out of hours service for deaths that haven’t been referred to the coroner.

You will be asked for the following information:

  • date and place of death
  • name and surname of the deceased and any other names he/she have been know by
  • maiden surname (for married women)
  • date and place of birth
  • last occupation
  • name and occupation of spouse or civil partner
  • usual address
  • whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or allowance from public funds
  • if the deceased was married or in a civil partnership, the date of birth of the surviving widow/widower/civil partner

You will need to have the medical certificate issued by the doctor, stating the cause of death

To ensure accuracy and reduce the need for corrections it may be helpful to bring the following supporting documents to the registration:

The deceased person's:

  • passport
  • NHS medical card
  • proof of address (e.g. utility bill)
  • all marriage/civil partnership certificates
  • birth certificate
  • deed poll or statutory declaration if appropriate

Your:

  • passport
  • driving licence if held
  • proof of address (e.g. utility bill)

The absence of supporting documents will not prevent registration.

After a death has been registered, one or more certificates may be bought at the time of registration at a cost of £11 each.

Our copy certificates page has information on how you can order a copy after registration.

When someone has died there are lots of things that need to be done at a time when you probably least feel like doing them. Our Tell Us Once Service can help you tell the people who need to know such as:  

  • Solihull Council - Council Housing, Housing Benefit, Council Tax, Blue Badge and removing the person from the Electoral Register
  • HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) - personal tax and Child Benefit and Tax Credits claims (contact HMRC separately for business taxes, like VAT)
  • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - State Pension and Universal Credit
  • British Passport Office
  • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) - driving licence and registered keeper details
  • Public Sector or Armed Forces Pension Schemes

During your appointment to register a death we'll record the details on the Tell Us Once database and provide you with a document containing a unique reference number. You can use this number to complete the Tell Us Once process online.

For further information about Tell Us Once visit Gov.UK or watch the following video.

Before using the service you can read the Tell Us Once Privacy Statement.

For advice on what to do when someone dies you can:

The registrar will issue a certificate for the burial or cremation of the body, in some cases a document may be issued by the coroner. This is normally passed to the funeral director by the relative making the arrangements. A certificate that should be sent to the Department of Social Security will also be issued by the registrar.

Where the Coroner is involved a different procedure may apply.