How to register a death
How to register a death
What documents/information will I need to bring?
What happens if the death is referred to the Coroner?
Can I register a death elsewhere in England and Wales?
What documents will I receive?
What information will I need to use the service?
When someone dies, the death must be registered by the Registrar for the district where the death occurred. This must be within five days of the death, unless there are exceptional circumstances or the Coroner is involved. 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.
It will usually take between half an hour to an hour to register the death, and you will need to make an appointment at one of our offices beforehand. If you are able to give the details in Welsh then you may have a bilingual registration.
You can register a death or make a declaration in Pembrokeshire at The Register Office, Pembrokeshire Archives, Prendergast, Haverfordwest, SA61 2PE. Pembrokeshire Archives Map (opens in a new tab)
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 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 person instructing the funeral director
What documents/information will I need to bring?
To register the death we will need to have the medical certificate of cause of death from the doctor of the deceased. 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 registrar accordingly
- to hold a post mortem examination, in which case a pink form 100B 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
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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.