Registering a Death
Registering a Death
In line with advice from the UK and Scottish Government to delay the spread of Coronavirus and for public health reasons, our process for the registration of deaths has changed from 26 March 2020. We are now able to register deaths without a face to face appointment.
Notification phone call
If you would like to register a death please contact the Registration Office on 01259 723850. During this notification phone call, a registrar will ask you the deceased's full name, date and place of birth, spouse(s) full name and maiden surname (if applicable) and date of marriage or civil partnership (if applicable). They will then make an appointment to phone you back to start the registration process.
The Registration Office can also be contacted by email at registration@clacks.gov.uk.
Death Registration Appointment phone call
During the appointment phone call the registrar will complete the register page electronically, taking your details over the phone. You will then be sent a copy of the register page electronically to check it for accuracy. If you are able to do so, please print, sign and scan the page, then send it by email back to the registrar. If you do not have printing facilities then you can email the registrar your confirmation of accuracy.
Death Certificate
Once this process is complete the registrar will email the certificate of registration of death (Form 14) to the undertaker that you are using. They will post you the abbreviated death certificate and any full copies of the certificate you have requested. We will take a card payment over the phone.
Tell Us Once
If you would like to use the Tell Us Once service we can give you the phone number and email address for you to contact the DWP.
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 service we use to notify certain council and government departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions.
To use this service please bring along these additional documents to your appointment:
- National Insurance number of deceased
- passport
- driving licence
- blue badge
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.