Bereavement

In time of bereavement

In the unfortunate event that a person has passed away, there are three things that must be done in the first few days;

  • Get a medical certificate from your GP or hospital doctor (this is necessary to register the death)
  • Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). You will then receive the necessary documents for the funeral.
  • Make the necessary funeral arrangements.

Register the death

If the death has been reported to the coroner they must give permission before registering the death.

You can register the death if you are a relative, a witness to the death, a hospital administrator or the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors.

You can use the ‘www.gov.uk website that will guide you through the process. This will also explain the registration process for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Arrange the funeral

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral directors

Choose a funeral director who’s a member of one of the following:

These organisations have codes of practice – they must give you a price list when asked.

Some local councils run their own funeral services, for example for non-religious burials. The British Humanist Association can also help with non-religious funerals.

Arranging the funeral yourself

Contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your local council to arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can include:

  • funeral director fees
  • things the funeral director pays for on your behalf (called ‘disbursements’ or ‘third-party costs’), for example, crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement about the death
  • local authority burial or cremation fees

Funeral directors may list all these costs in their quotes.

Cruse Bereavement Care

Individual and group bereavement support is offered to bereaved adults, whether recently bereaved or many years ago.

Telephone: 0300 200 4108

Facebook: www.facebook.com/crusebeds

Twitter: @CruseBeds

Website: www.crusebedfordshire.org.uk

Email: support@crusebedfordshire.org.uk

Keech Hospice Care

Bereavement service offers support to families and friends of those referred to Keech Hospice Care, both the Adult and Children’s Hospice.

Telephone: 01582 492339

Facebook: www.facebook.com/keechhospicecare

Twitter: @KeechHospice

Website: www.keech.org.uk

Email: info@keech.org.uk

Road Victims Trust

Provides emotional and practical support to those affected by fatal and serious injury road collisions in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

Telephone: 01234 843345

Facebook: www.facebook.com/road.victimstrust

Twitter: @roadvictimstrus

Website: www.rvtrust.org.uk

Email: enquiries@rvtrust.co.uk

Bedford Bereavement Services

Support is offered to all bereaved people during group meetings held monthly at Norse Road Crematorium.

Telephone: 01234 718150

Website: www.bedford.gov.uk

Email: crem@bedford.gov.uk

CHUMS - Bereavement Service

CHUMS was created to meet the needs of children and their families across Luton and Bedfordshire. offering support after the death of someone close, however they may have died.

Telephone: 01525 863924

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChumsCharity

Twitter: @CHUMSCharity

Website: chums.uk.com/bereavement-service

Email: info@chums.uk.com

CHUMS also offers a stillbirth and neonatal bereavement support service for parents, grandparents and siblings in Bedfordshire following the death of their baby. This includes monthly support groups and family workshops.

Website: chums.uk.com/babyloss

Luton & Dunstable Hospital - Bereavement Service

Support and information provided to families of the deceased including those affected by issues surrounding post-mortem procedures.

Telephone: 01582 497344 

Chaplaincy: 01582 497370

Website: www.ldh.nhs.uk

Email: chaplaincy@ldh.nhs.uk