Register a Death
Death Registration
- Where a death has occurred in Rotherham, there is a requirement for the death to be registered within 5 calendar days of its occurrence wherever possible. The exception to this 5 day rule is when the death has been referred to the Coroner
- You can only book an appointment when the certifying Medical Practitioner has sent the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the Register Office. If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the Register Office must have received the coroner’s paperwork before the registration can proceed.
- After the death registration appointment has been completed, the Registrar will send the Green Form 9 electronically to the Crematorium, Funeral Director and the hospital mortuary as appropriate. This will allow the body to be released.
- Family members have a legal obligation to register a relative’s death. If the deceased person has no family to register, a person who was present at the death, the occupier of the Hospital, Hospice or Care Home in which the death occurred or the person making the arrangements for the burial or cremation can all act as an ‘informant’ for a death registration to be completed.
- Only one person can act as informant to a death registration and that person must act as the primary contact with the Register Office in relation to a death.
What happens at a registration appointment?
Appointments are booked online. Appointments are made available online for the next two working days from the date of booking.
The registration officer will ask you for information about the deceased person including;
- The full name they were most recently known by and using,
- Any former names, including maiden names,
- Date and town of birth,
- Last occupation and whether they were retired,
- Last address, including postcode,
- Names and occupation of their spouse or civil partner, even if they have passed away (if applicable),
- The deceased’s NHS number (found on medical letters and prescription slips),
- Whether the deceased received any government pensions from employment such as, Armed Forces, NHS, Civil Service, Royal Mail, Teachers, Metropolitan Police etc.
This information, alongside the name, relationship and address of the informant are recorded in the death register. It is important that all information is checked carefully by the informant prior to signing, the informant will sign the register to agree the information is true to the best of their knowledge and belief. Once signed, the entry becomes a legal document.
For errors identified after signing the register entry, a formal application must be made for correction of the entry, supporting documentary evidence be provided and a statutory consideration fee of between £75 and £90 paid. All corrections are considered by the Superintendent Registrar or Registrar General as appropriate. There is no guarantee a correction will be made.
Once the entry has been signed the registration officer will issue the necessary form to allow the burial or cremation to be arranged. This is sent directly to the Funeral Director, Mortuary and Cremation or Burial Authority as appropriate.
During the appointment the registration officer will ‘capture’ the information and issue you with an access code to use the Tell Us Once service provided by the Department for Work and Pensions for you to notify central and local government agencies about the death without needing to send a death certificate. More information is available below about the ‘Tell Us Once’ Service.
At the time of booking, you will be given the option to pre-purchase any death certificates you may require. Certificates are £11.00 each and you will need them to deal with the deceased’s estate. If you would prefer to purchase these on the day of your appointment you can do so. Payments made on the day should be by debit or credit card only. These will be issued to you at the end of the appointment.
If you find that you require further certificates after the appointment, you can order them online for £11.00 per certificate. Different postage options for certificates ordered later are detailed online and may incur a small additional charge depending on the option selected. This is currently £2.75.
Make an appointment
You will need access to an email address to book online. To make an appointment to register a death, click the following link;
Make an appointment to register a death
All appointments take place at the register office:
Rotherham Register Office
Riverside House
Main Street
Rotherham
South Yorkshire
S60 1AE
You must ensure you arrive on time for your appointment, if you are late, it may not be possible to see you.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please follow the link in your confirmation email to do this. If your original booking time has passed, online rescheduling will not be possible, and you will need to contact the register office by telephone on 01709 823542 to reschedule.
Please note, there is no public parking, other than disabled parking, directly outside Riverside House. There are several car parks nearby. The nearest public car park to Riverside House is the Statutes. You can find details of all available parking facilities here Find a car park in Rotherham