Registering a death

Registration must take place in the district where the death happened

All deaths must be registered in the district where the person died within five days of a medical examiner’s scrutiny of the cause of death or the conclusion of a coroner’s investigation.

How to register

After someone has died, a medical examiner or a coroner will contact you to discuss the cause of the death. Once you have spoken with them you can make an appointment to register.

You will need to register within five days.

To make an appointment please call us on 0121 704 8002.

We will arrange an appointment for you at:

Solihull Connect at the Core
Theatre Square
Solihull
B91 3RG

Who can register a death?

The death can be registered by:

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

Urgent registration of a death

If someone has died in Solihull and needs to be urgently buried, you can contact us at weekends and on bank holidays between 9.00am to 12 noon.

Please call us on 0121 704 8002 and hold the line until you're transferred to our out of hours team.

Deaths referred to the coroner

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

What information will you need?

You will be asked for the following information:

  • date and place of death
  • name and surname of the deceased and any other names they have been known by
  • maiden surname (for women who are married or in a civil partnership)
  • 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 spouse/civil partner

To ensure accuracy and reduce the need for corrections it may be helpful to have the following documents with you during 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

Death certificates

You may purchase certificates at a cost of £12.50 each.  Payment is made by debit or credit card when you book the registration appointment.

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

Tell Us Once

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:

  • Council services e.g. housing, housing benefit, council tax, Blue Badges and updating the Electoral Register
  • HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) e.g. personal tax and Child Benefit and Tax Credits claims (You will need to contact HMRC separately for business taxes, like VAT)
  • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) e.g. State Pension and Universal Credit
  • British Passport Office
  • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) e.g. driving licence and registered keeper details
  • Public Sector or Armed Forces Pension Schemes

During your appointment we'll add your details and provide you with a unique reference number. You can use this number to complete the Tell Us Once process online or by telephone.

For further information about Tell Us Once visit GOV.UK.

What to do when someone dies: step by step

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

The registrar will issue a certificate for the burial or cremation of the deceased, which is passed directly on to the funeral director by the registrar. In some cases, a document for the burial or cremation of the deceased may be issued by the coroner.