Funeral planning and timescales

Everyone in the death certification process will work together to ensure that a death can be registered at the earliest opportunity and to avoid delays wherever possible. However, matters such as access to medical records, contact with families, seasonal demands and further investigation by the coroner may impact on timeliness.

The aim is for death certification to be completed within nine days. However, please note that in some circumstances this may take longer, for example where the cause of death is complex, or information and key persons are not available as quickly as needed.

Funeral planning can start before the death has been registered and you can speak to a funeral director to begin making arrangements. Each funeral director will have their own company policies and procedures and will be more than happy to help you and answer any questions you may have about their role and the services they offer.