From the 9^th September 2024, registration will not be able to take place until the Medical Examiner (ME) has sent the Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) to the Register Office where the death occurred and provided the next of kin with an ME reference, unless there are exceptional circumstances or the Coroner is involved. The death should be then registered within 5 days of the Register Office receiving the MCCD. The Medical Examiner will advise the next of kin when they can contact the Register Office to make an appointment.

If you have any queries with regard to the MCCD or the ME process, please visit the ME website Medical Examiner Service - NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (opens in a new tab), email MidandWestWales.MedicalExaminersOffice@wales.nhs.uk or telephone 02921 500499

If you are unable to attend the Register Office in the district where the death occurred you can go to any Register Office in England and Wales and make a declaration of the particulars required. However, if you opt for a declaration, there will be a slight delay in receiving certificates and paperwork, as these will be posted from the receiving Register Office.

To make an appointment call 01437 775176. Please ensure you arrive on time for your appointment and if you are unable to keep your appointment please let us know.

Who can register?

The death should be registered by a relative or partner of the deceased.

If there are no relatives then it is possible for another person to register.

This could be:

someone present at the death
an official from the hospital
the personal representative of the deceased

What documents/information will I need to bring?

To register the death we will need to be in receipt of the MCCD from the Medical Examiner.

The informant should bring a form of ID with them such as a passport or driving licence, and proof of their address.

The informant will also need to provide the following details at your appointment:

your relationship to the deceased
your full name
your usual address
the date and place of death
the full name of the deceased (and maiden name where appropriate)
their date and place of birth
their occupation and, if married, widowed or a civil partner or surviving civil partner, the full names and occupation of their spouse or civil partner
date of birth of surviving spouse or civil partner
their usual address
whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension from public funds ie. civil service, teacher, armed forces
their NHS number or medical card, if available.

It is important that the information recorded in the register is correct. If a mistake is made it will be difficult to change it. You should check the details in the entry very carefully before you sign.

What happens if the death is referred to the Coroner?

In certain circumstances the death will have to be referred to the Coroner by the doctor or the registrar. The coroner may decide:

no action is necessary and inform the ME accordingly
to hold a post mortem examination, in which case a CN2 will be issued by the coroner to be used instead of the medical certificate
to hold an inquest - the coroner's officer or registrar will advise you what to do in these circumstances. An Interim Death Certificate will be issued. Please notify the Coroner's Office immediately if the certificate contains any incorrect or missing information.

How much will it cost?

There is no fee to register a death.

Can I register a death elsewhere in England and Wales?

If a death has occurred outside Pembrokeshire and you are unable to travel to the district where the death took place, you may attend a Pembrokeshire office and make a declaration. This is then sent to the registration officer of that district who will register the death and issue the necessary documentation.

What documents will I receive?

At the end of the registration you will receive:

A certificate for burial or cremation, known as the ‘green form’ which the funeral director will need. In certain circumstances a form will be issued by the Coroner, the registration officer will advise you if necessary
You may need to purchase death certificates. A death certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the death register. These may be required by banks, building societies, insurance companies, solicitors or for pension claims. Copies cost £12.50 each. Payment can be made by card, cash, cheque or postal order made payable to Pembrokeshire County Council.

Tell Us Once

We offer the Tell Us Once (opens in a new tab) service in Pembrokeshire, so that when someone dies, we can tell the people who need to know.

This free service offers you the opportunity to notify certain Government Departments of a death. If the deceased's passport/passport number, driving licence/driving licence number or Blue Badge is produced at your appointment they can be cancelled by the registrar.

What information will I need to use the service?

To make sure we give the right information to the organisations we contact for you, please bring the following information (where relevant) about the person who has died:

their National Insurance number and date of birth
details of any central or local government benefits or services they were receiving
their driving licence
their Passport
their Blue Badge (disabled person's parking badge)
their Library card
their concessionary travel card

We will also ask you for the contact details of:

their next of kin
A surviving husband, wife or civil partner
The person dealing with their estate (affairs)

You must obtain the agreement of the persons listed above if you are going to provide information about them.

If you cannot find all of the information, don't worry - you can still use the service for the benefits/services you have information about. Do not delay making the death registration appointment.

Next of Kin

If you were married or in a civil partnership with to the deceased, your entitlement to benefits may change, so please have your National Insurance Number available when you use the Tell Us Once service. Please note an ex-wife/ex-husband does not qualify as a relative of the deceased.

If you are not the next of kin, or the person who is dealing with the deceased's estate, you can still use the service if you have the authority to act on their behalf.

Please remember that it is your responsibility to make sure that all organisations who paid any form of benefits to the deceased have correct and up-to-date information.

We will be able to tell the following organisations if required:

Department for Work and Pensions

Pension, Disability and Carers Service
Jobcentre Plus
Overseas Health Team

Ministry of Defence, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency

War Pensions Scheme

HM Revenue & Customs

Child Benefit
Child Tax Credit & Working Tax Credit
Personal Taxation

Identity and Passport Service

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)

Local Councils

Housing Benefit Office
Council Tax Benefit Office

These departments can also be told if you ask us to do so:

Libraries
Blue Badges
Adult Services
Children's Services
Collection of payment for council services
Electoral services

For more information on this service please call 01437 775176.

Contact us

Pembrokeshire Registration Service
Pembrokeshire Register Office
Pembrokeshire Archives
Prendergast
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA61 2PE

Tel 01437 775176

Email registrar@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Opening hours - Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

Leaflets relating to benefits, probate and help with funeral expenses are available from the Registrar and also the Department for Works and Pensions.

ID: 82, revised 16/12/2024

Deaths

How to register a death

How to register a death﻿

﻿Who can register?

﻿What documents/information will I need to bring?

﻿What happens if the death is referred to the Coroner?

﻿How much will it cost?

﻿Can I register a death elsewhere in England and Wales?

﻿What documents will I receive?

﻿Tell Us Once

﻿What information will I need to use the service?

﻿Next of Kin

﻿Contact us