Sudden or unexpected

In the case of an unexpected or sudden death, the first step is for a medical professional to confirm the death.
The relevant authority will refer the death to the coroner – that could be the doctor, the police, the paramedics, the hospital or the medical examiner, depending on the circumstances.
If the death is at home or in a care home, you will also need to choose a local funeral director. Contact them to come and take your loved one into their care. Let the relevant person know (police, doctor or medical examiner) which funeral director you have chosen and they will share this with the coroner.
At this point you may want to inform family members and close friends. Surrounding yourself with a good support network during this time can be helpful.
The coroner will contact the next of kin. If the coroner decides that the cause of death is clear then they will notify the doctor, who will issue a medical certificate. The coroner will also issue a certificate to the registrar so that you can register the death.
The coroner could decide that a post-mortem is needed and may decide that an inquest is required. In these circumstances they will arrange for the person who has died to be taken into the coroner’s care.
If you feel ready, you can start to plan the funeral. If you have chosen Frederick Butcher and Son as your funeral director, we will support you through this process and discuss any needs you may have.
At this point, you might like to start making decisions about specific details, like flowers, music or obituaries. However, remember if the coroner has decided a post-mortem is needed or an inquest is required it will not be possible to set a date for the funeral until the coroner has advised that the funeral can take place.
The coroner will undertake their investigations, which will include the post-mortem.
Once the post-mortem has been completed and if the coroner decides no further examinations are needed, they will contact the next of kin. They will also register the death on the family’s behalf.
If there is an inquest, the coroner will usually release the body once they have carried out their first enquiries. The Coroner’s Court Support Service is a voluntary organisation that provides independent support to those attending an inquest.
You can only register the death once the cause of death is known; however, the coroner can give you a Coroner’s Certificate of the Fact of Death (known as an interim death certificate) so that you can notify the registrar of the death.
The funeral director will collect the person who has died and take them back into their care, ready for the funeral.
At this point, you can set a date for the funeral with the funeral director.