When Death Happens
If the death was expected
If the death followed an illness or period of palliative care at home, a medical professional will need to confirm that death has occurred.
- If a nurse is present, they will usually handle this
- If not, call the number provided by your palliative care team or your family member’s GP practice (use their out of hours number if applicable) – and they will explain what will happen next in terms of who to expect to arrive and by when
- If you can’t reach either of these, call NHS 111
- The body cannot be moved until a Doctor or District Nurse confirms the death
Once the death has verified by a medical professional, you’ll be given a formal death verification form to show the funeral director.
This verification process is separate from the formal death registration, which happens much later with a Registrar at which point you will receive the official Death Certificate.
If the death was sudden or unexpected
If the death was sudden or unexpected, you will need to call 999 and request the police and ambulance. In these circumstances the death will typically be referred to HM Coroner, which means that a funeral director cannot collect the body.
If the death was referred to HM Coroner, you can still contact a funeral director straight away to begin the process of planning the funeral arrangements. The funeral cannot take place until HM Coroner has released the body.
Calling Us
Please call us on 020 3281 1045 once death has happened, or once it has been verified.
If you’d like some quiet time before we arrive, just let us know and we can arrange a later time to arrive..
Our team will arrange to come as soon as possible and we will let you know our ETA in advance. We do have a legal obligation to manage driver safety hours, so if you call after working hours or during the night, we may request a specific time for us to arrive.
Caring for Your Relative at Home
Until we arrive:
- Keep windows and doors closed (to avoid flies)
- Cover your relative with a light sheet (avoid duvets or blankets)
- Close curtains or blinds to block sunlight
- Turn off any heating in the room
- If available, turn on a fan or air conditioning to keep the room cool
Our Arrival
Our team will arrive in a discreet vehicle. We will introduce ourselves and then assess the space, before bringing in our stretcher.
Typically family prefer to be in another room whilst we take care of your relative, but if you wish to watch or partake, you can.
Our discreet but friendly team will bring your relative into our care at our private modern private mortuary near Twickenham.
They’ll be gently cared for with the highest standards of environmentally friendly hygiene and high tech refrigeration. Regular monitoring ensures dignity at every stage, we do not use any invasive procedures.
We do not have an on-site chapel of rest at our office – we like to keep this space relaxing for family meetings only. When a family requires a chapel of rest, we hire the chapel at a local church which is far more conducive to privacy, peace and quiet.
For collecting a family member who has died from a private home, a £250 collection fee applies as personnel requirements differ from scheduled hospital collections.
Next Steps
Once your relative is in our care, you don’t need to do anything immediately.
We’ll send you an email with a link to complete our Key Information form when you feel ready and explain the next steps to take.
Medical Certificate & Registering the Death
- Your GP (or attending doctor) will prepare the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
- The MCCD is sent to a Medical Examiner for approval before it is forwarded to the Registrar
- You’ll be notified by the Medical Examiner once it has been sent — only then can you book an appointment to register the death
- The specific register office you will need to contact is can be identified here based on the location of where the death occurred – if you visit the Register Office website to see how to book a telephone appointment – some require you to complete an online form first.
Please note that this two stage process may take a few days.
Arranging the Funeral
There’s no rush, we can begin planning the funeral — at a pace that feels right for you. The first step is to contact us so we can help guide you.
