Do I have to wait 3 weeks until the funeral?

When a loved one passes away, the last thing you want to worry about is the logistics of their funeral. Many people believe that they have to wait three weeks before the funeral can take place, but this is not necessarily the case. In this blog post, we will discuss the considerations and factors that affect when the funeral can take place and what you need to do in order to make arrangements. 

Before the funeral date can be confirmed, the required paperwork needs to be in place. There is different paperwork depending on whether the service of committal is a burial or cremation. 

This Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (commonly referred to as the Death Certificate) will be issued by the GP / Hospital Ward Doctor who has been attending to your loved one within the twenty eight days of his or her last illness, and can give a cause of death which needs no further investigation by H.M Coroner.

The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death will be sent to the registrars electronically by the GP Surgery or Bereavement Services (depending on where your loved one passed away) and the registrars will contact you to arrange a face to face appointment to register your loved one’s death.

• A relative of the deceased, related by blood, marriage or civil partner
• Any person present at the death
• The occupier of the house or official of the hospital knowing of the death
• The person arranging the funeral

• Date and place of death
• Name & surname of the deceased
• Maiden name, if deceased was a married women
• Date & place of birth
• Occupation
• Name & occupation of spouse (if deceased was married)
• Usual address
• Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or allowance from public funds
• If the deceased was either married or a civil partner, the date of birth of the surviving partner will be required

You will be asked to sign the official entry in the register, which you should check thoroughly before you sign

The registrar will issue:

• A green certificate which is called the ‘Registrars Certificate for Burial or Cremation’. This is a document for the funeral director
• Copies of the Entry of Death (£11.00 per copy)
• Form BD8 for Social Security

If the deceased has not been seen recently by his or her GP, or if the deceased was a hospital patient and the Ward Doctor or Registrar cannot give a cause of death, it is routine procedure to inform the Coroner’s office.

Sometimes when a death occurs at home, in addition to the Doctor or Paramedics, the Police may also be called to attend. This is a perfectly normal procedure and nothing to worry about. A report is usually filed the next working day to the Coroner’s office.

Before determining if a Medical Examination is required, (sometimes referred to as a post-mortem or autopsy) the Coroner’s officer will discuss the medical history with the GP, to see if they can give a probable cause of death which would be accepted by a Registrar. They will also consult with the next of kin to ask questions about the general health of the deceased prior to the death occurring.

If no Medical Certificate of Cause of Death can be issued then it will be necessary for the deceased to be transferred to a local hospital for a medical examination. This is routine and generally will not delay making funeral arrangements. 

Should a sudden death occur in hospital the Ward Doctor or Consultant will contact the local Coroner’s office to report the death. The same procedure as above will apply before a decision is taken to perform a medical examination, and in some deaths an inquest may be necessary. 

The coroner’s office will keep you fully informed and talk to you once the results of the medical examination are concluded. 

If you would like the service of committal to be a cremation and the coroner hasn’t taken any action, then G. Seller will need to arrange for the Cremation form to be completed by the doctor that has been looking after your loved one.

If the Coroner has taken action then they will issue the cremation document.

G. Seller will take care of all of this and advise you.

The only paperwork necessary for a burial to take place is the green certificate (Registrars Certificate for Burial or Cremation) or if the Coroner has taken action, a Burial Order will be issued. 

Your funeral director should ask you when you’d like the service to take place, it shouldn’t be a case of you being told when it is taking place. 

To book the funeral service, you will need the paperwork as explained above in place and to have considered the below:

• Where you’d like the funeral to take place. There are many options whether to have a service in Church, the full service at the crematorium, the full service at the graveside, The Barsby Service Chapel or alternative venue such as at a Racing Circuit for example. The options are endless and your funeral director can help you with this. 
• What kind of service you’d like, is it to be a Celebration of Life or something more traditional? Would you like a minister of faith to take the service or a funeral celebrant?
• Are there any dates to avoid? Are there anniversaries or birthdays coming up that you definitely don’t want the funeral to take place on?
• What kind of time of day would you like?

This is not an exhaustive list but gives you an idea of considerations and factors that would affect when the funeral can take place. 

Losing a loved one is never easy, but with proper planning and support, you can get through this difficult time. If you have any questions about arranging a funeral or would like some advice on coping with grief, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at G Seller. We offer bereavement support to any next of kin and members of the wider family that we have been privileged to serve. We are here to help in any way we can.

G. Seller is a long-established funeral directors serving families in Hinckley, the surrounding areas and further afield since 1910. We have a passionate team of experienced and compassionate people who can help you with all aspects of arranging a funeral. We understand that this is a difficult time for you and your family, so we will do everything we can to make the process as easy as possible. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to speak to one of our advisors.