This guide will take you through what to do when someone dies in Buckinghamshire. Following this, you may also want to take a look at our beginner’s guide to probate.
Aside from the practicalities, when a parent or relative dies, it is a really difficult time. For information on how to cope, please see our guide on dealing with death and grief. More locally, you may benefit from our guide to bereavement support services in Buckinghamshire.
Obtaining a Medical Certificate of Death in Buckinghamshire
A medical certificate of death is a document issued after someone has died, confirming the cause of death. A death can only be registered once the medical certificate of death has been issued. In a hospital setting, a doctor will provide the medical certificate of death. If your relative has died at home or in a care home, a doctor must be called to confirm the death.
If the cause of death is unclear, the death will be referred to the coroner’s office. The two councils in Buckinghamshire each have a coroner’s office as detailed below.
Coroner's Office, Buckinghamshire
Coroner’s Service
29 Windsor End
Beaconsfield
HP9 2JJ
- Telephone: 01494 475505
- Email: [email protected]
Coroner's Office, Milton Keynes
The Coroner’s Office
Civic Offices
1 Saxon Gate East
Central Milton Keynes
MK9 3EJ
- Telephone: 01908 254327
- Email: [email protected]
Registering a Death in Buckinghamshire
Deaths have to be registered in the council area in which they occurred by a relative. You will need to provide certain information when registering a death.
Deaths must be registered legally within five days. Please find information below about making an appointment in each council.
Buckinghamshire County Council
- Telephone: 01296 382581
- Online Form
Milton Keynes Council
In the Milton Keynes council area, the medical certificate of death must be sent to the council by the doctor. The registrar will then contact you using details provided on the medical certificate of death to make an appointment. If they do not contact you, please get in touch using contact details below.
- Telephone: 01908 372101
Tell Us Once
Tell Us Onceย is a national service that lets you report a death to most government organisations at once. After registering the death, you will be given a unique reference number to use the service online or by telephone.
The list of organisations that Tell Us Once will notify can be found on theย gov.uk website.
Arranging a Funeral in Buckinghamshire
After the death has been registered, the funeral can take place. Organising the funeral of a loved one can be overwhelming, particularly during a time of grief. It is important to do it in a way that befits their memory. For help in arranging the day, please see our comprehensiveย guide to funeral planning.