The loss of a loved one can be a hugely difficult time. The practicalities of what happens when someone dies are something most of us don’t even want to think about and taking the first steps after someone dies is daunting.
To make it easier, we have created a short description of the procedures that happen after someone dies in Norfolk.
Obtaining a Death Certificate in Norfolk
The procedure is slightly different depending on where someone has died. Our comprehensive article on When Someone Dies talks about this in more detail but isn’t Norfolk-specific.
If the death occurs at home, the first point of contact should be a doctor. They will talk you through what happens next and provide you with a medical certificate stating the cause of death, along with a document
outlining who is eligible to register the death. If your loved one is in a nursing home, the doctor will likely already have been called.
In some rare cases, the doctor will send a report of the death to the Norfolk coroner’s office who will decide whether or not there will be an inquest. The coroner’s office will be able to give you instructions regarding registering the death if this is the case.
Coroner's Office
- Address: County Hall, Norwich, NR1 2DH
- Telephone: 01603 774773
Opening times are Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 4:00pm (closed weekends and bank holidays)
How to register a death in Norfolk
A death should be registered within five days from when it occurred. This period can be extended in special circumstances and if the coroner is involved.
You can register at any registration office in Norfolk. To book an appointment, you can use their online appointment system or call the council’s customer service centre on: 0344 800 8020.
If the death occurs at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, there is a registrar on site which can make things a little easier.
You will need to bring a list of specific things and details with you when you register a death, including a debit/credit card for certificates. You can find a full list of what registering a death entails on our advice page.
Organisations you will need to contact
In addition to the businesses, organisations and other people that your family member may have had an account with that needs to be closed, you will have to tell a few different government offices the same information. Tell Us Once is a government service that works with Norfolk Council to make this part of telling people a little easier.
Tell Us Once
Tell Us Once is optional to opt into and contacts government services including HMRC, the department for work and pensions (DWP), the DVLA, passport office and more on your behalf, so you don’t have to.
You will be told more about this service when you register the death and you will be invited to opt in. You can find out more about Tell Us Once on the government’s website. Tell Us Once won’t be able to contact private businesses, like banks, on your behalf.
Arranging a funeral in Norfolk
After you have checked the will for any special requests, such as burial or cremation, you will have decide whether you want to use a funeral director to help you organise your farewell. Funeral directors are often used as they can ease the planning of all the personal aspects of the day.
We have listed three directories to help you find a funeral director best suited for you:
You can read more about funeral planning in AgeSpace’s comprehensive guide here.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Julia Samuel MBE, a specialist bereavement counsellor, to get her thoughts on grief. This is often a difficult subject and one that some people can find helpful to see spoken about openly. You can take a look at what she had to say here.
