Clackmannanshire Council Online

Registering a Death

Registering a Death

We realise that this is a very difficult time for you. In this section there is information and guidance aimed at helping you through the registration process.

When and where can I register a death?

Any death which occurs in Scotland must be registered at any Registration Office in Scotland within 8 days. 

Please phone to book an appointment using the details at the bottom of this page.

Who can register a death in Scotland?

The death can be registered by:

• any relative of the deceased; or
• any person present when the person died; or
• the deceased's executor or other legal representative; or
• the occupier of the property where the person died; or if there is no such person,
• anyone else who knows the information to be registered.

What documents should I take to the registrar?

• The medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) issued by the doctor who certified the death.
• The deceased's birth certificate.
• The deceased's marriage or civil partnership certificate(s), if applicable.
• The deceased's NHS medical card.
• Any documents relating to the receipt of a pension or allowance from government funds.

Tell Us Once

When someone has died we can help you tell the people who need to know. Tell Us Once is a free government service that allows you to report a death when you suffer a bereavement and need to tell central and local government.  

Please see our Tell Us Once - Death service page for more information.

What documents will I receive?

When the registration is complete the registrar will give you:

• an abbreviated death certificate, which is free of charge;
• a certificate of registration of death (Form 14) for the funeral director, which is free of charge;
• full death certificates may be obtained on payment of the statutory fee, currently £10.00 each

If you do not use the Tell Us Once service to inform the Department for Work and Pensions we will issue form BD8 so you can notify them yourself.  This is free of charge.

Review of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death

The doctor or medical professional who issues the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) may have mentioned a review of the contents of the certificate. Healthcare Improvement Scotland will independently review a random sample of medical certificates of cause of death (MCCD) which have been certified by a doctor. This means that, if the MCCD you bring in to the registrar is selected for review, there may be a short delay and the registration cannot be completed until the review is finished.

Please refer to Health Improvement Scotland's Q&A page for more information.

Privacy

This service is committed to ensuring your information is protected. Our privacy policy tells you how the information you provide when you use this service will be used and protected. Ask the Registrar if you wish to see the full privacy statement.

Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that all organisations that pay you a benefit/credit or provide a service to you have correct and up to date information about you.