Dealing with a Death in Barking & Dagenham A – Z

Registering a death in Barking and Dagenham

First, download our free What the Registrar will ask and Tips and Guide to Probate so you are more familiar with what everyone wants from you, if you are the executor, and the pitfalls which may cost you time and money.  It is HERE as are our contact details for professional Probate Advice (NOT Registering the death- read on below). You might find the video about registering a death on the home page useful first.  Should you need the services of an undertaker, see below.   This is our downloadable Guide to what the Registrar will need from you.Wrong area?  Go here.                        Probate quotes?

• I have tried to cover the essentials on this page for other useful information and tips, use the search facility. Let me know if that fails to find what you are looking for.

Registering a death in Dagenham and Barking if Death Occurs in Hospital

The hospital staff will contact the person named as next of kin. This may be, but need not be, a relative. You may ask to see the hospital chaplain. The hospital will keep the body in its mortuary until the executor arranges for the undertaker to remove it. Most have a chapel of rest where the body will be kept until the funeral. The hospital will arrange for the nearest relative to collect the deceased’s possessions.Use this for our valuable free Guides:

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What the Registrar needs to know (PDF download).

Registering a death in Barking and Dagenham if Death Occurs outside the area.

Where the death was expected, contact the doctor who looked after the deceased during their final illness. If the doctor is able to certify the cause of death, he or she will give you the following:1) Medical Certificate – showing the cause of death (free of charge and will be in a sealed envelope addressed to the registrar) if not emailed directly these days.2) Formal Notice—This confirms that the doctor has signed the necessary Medical Certificate and advises you on how to register the death.If you have not already done so, you may contact the deceased’s priest/ vicar, etc. A funeral director usually makes the funeral arrangements.If the deceased suffered from HIV or AIDS there may be special requirements for handling the body, and the following organisations can advise on funeral arrangements:

• London Lighthouse
• FACTS Health Centre
• Terence Higgins Trust.

Registering a death in Dagenham and Barking, which was unexpected.

If  the death is sudden or unexpected, you must contact the following:

• the family doctor (if known).
• the deceased’s nearest relative
• the deceased’s minister of religion
• the police, who will help to find the people listed above if necessary

Should there be any reason to think the passing was not natural, don’t touch or remove anything. It may well be referred to the coroner. The doctor may ask the relatives for permission to carry out a post-mortem examination to find out more about the cause of death and should not delay the funeral.

Reporting A Death in Barking and Dagenham to the Coroner.

The doctor may report the death to the coroner if it is through an accident or injury, an industrial disease, occurs during a surgical operation before recovery from anaesthetic, if the cause is not known or if it was sudden or unexpected. It can also happen if the family GP is on holiday or has not recently seen the deceased.The family will be told if the case has to be reported to the Coroner.  If this happens, registration is delayed nor can the funeral take place until the Coroner authorises it.A Coroner can order a post-mortem without a relative’s permission. This should confirm the cause of passing. The Coroner may also hold an inquest into the circumstances leading to it. When an inquest is called, the Coroner’s Office will advise the relatives. This is a legal formality and should not be taken as an indication that anything is wrong.Then, the essential Certificate will be sent directly to you from the Coroner’s Office, and the relatives must still go to the Registrar to register the death formally. The death cannot be registered until the conclusion of the inquest, but a certificate will usually be issued at the opening of the inquest to allow the funeral to take place.

Coroner for Barking and Dagenham

When Does a Death in Dagenham and Barking Need To Be Registered?

Registering a death in Barking and Dagenham should take place within 5 days unless the Coroner is investigating the circumstances of the death. The 5-day period can be extended  in certain circumstances.

Who Must Register The Death in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham?

People with legal ability to register include:

• A relative
• A person present at the time the person passed away.
• The occupier of the premises where the death occurred if he/she knew of it happening
• The person arranging the funeral. (NOT the funeral director).(There is also a list on the Notice to Informants attached to the Doctor’s medical certificate).

What Documents Do I Take To The Barking and Dagenham Register Office?

• The medical certificate of cause of death issued by the doctor is essential – it is often emailed direct by doctors. (If the Coroner is involved, the Coroner’s Office will advise you).
• The deceased’s birth certificate or passport (if available).
• The deceased’s medical card if possible.
• To ensure you have all the answers ready, download and print our What the Registrar needs to know (PDF download).

The Registrar will put all these details into a database and give you the opportunity to check them. The information will then be formally written into a register. This is the legal record which you should check very carefully before signing it, as any mistakes discovered later on may cause problems.

What Documents Will I Get from the Barking and Dagenham Registrar?

• The Green Form allows you to arrange the funeral(If the Coroner is involved different procedures will apply).
• A form for Social Security purposes.
• Certified copies of the death certificate can also be obtained for a fee.

Where Must The Death Be Registered in Barking and Dagenham?

The death must be registered in the District Register Office for the area (town/city) in which it occurred and for registering a death in Barking and Dagenham that is:The Registrar Of Births, Deaths, Marriages & Civil Partnerships, Woodlands House Register Office, Woodlands House, Rainham Road North, Dagenham RM10 7ER.Barking and Dagenham Metropolitan Borough Telephone: 0208 270 4744 Fax: 0208 270 4745NB – the 5 days is NOT 5 working days, but a strict 5 days. Call the Registrar if this is a problem, as it is a criminal offence, unless the Coroner is delaying things.

Religious or Cultural Requirement of Burial within 24 hours

Where you need to register a death in Barking and Dagenham out of hours (and not just for your convenience), the out-of-hours service for timely funerals is available between 9am and 10 am only at weekends and Bank Holidays, for deaths that occurred in Barking and Dagenham only. The Out of Hours phone number is 0208 215 3000.

Areas Covered by the Barking & Dagenham Registrar:

Barking IG11, Barking Riverside, Becontree RM, Becontree Heath RM, Castle Green RM, Chadwell Heath ROMFORD RM6, Creekmouth  IG11, Dagenham RM, Dagenham Riverside RM, Marks Gate ROMFORD RM6, Rush Green ROMFORD RM7, Thames View BARKING IG11, Upney.

A Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD or Green Form)

Delaying this will delay other things. If the death was in a hospital, they may well have provided it. If not, notify the deceased’s doctor and request the MCCD. If they haven’t seen the deceased within 4 weeks, or if the death was sudden, they may refer it to the coroner, which may well mean the funeral is delayed.

Inform Next of Kin and Other Family Members.

One of the most important steps after someone dies is to inform their next of kin. This should be done as soon as possible, and all dependents/family members should also be informed. Ideally, this should be in place long before: create a plan that outlines who you want to contact, how you want them to be contacted, what details need to be shared and when you will contact them. It may also help to create a physical list or a form with all the necessary details in case further discussions come up while informing people. The address book is the obvious place to look, though these days that might be computerised.

Grief help

The executor should arrange to secure any valuables

if the property is no longer occupied – we would recommend photographing everything before removing it. You MUST check with the insurance company as they will have specific requirements for empty properties, without which it is likely claims will NOT be paid, leaving the executor to pay personally. Vacant property insurance (the link is repeated below). It is prudent to have the locks changed as anyone might have keys, but be sure that this is not done in a way that alienates anyone and is explained to appropriate beneficiaries, or it will upset anyone expecting access, which should ideally now be supervised.

Arrange the Funeral in Barking and Dagenham. Part 2.

Now it’s time to arrange a funeral. This is typically done by the family or (officially) the executor of the deceased, though most people will appoint a professional funeral director to take care of this for you. You’ll need to decide on the type of service and burial or cremation, any special requests and who will be invited. You may also wish to contact newspapers or websites if you plan a public service. It’s important to keep track of your necessary costs as they can be claimed back from the estate later.If you are unsure if the deceased left any funeral wishes, they are sometimes in the Will.

Do use the Tell Us Once ServiceVideos of What to do after a death and of Tell us Once Service which advises Government related organisations of the death.

Find the Will, if there is one.

The executor appointed in the Will is responsible for everything and should authorise anyone wishing to take anything, as it may not be allowed by the Will. If there is no Will, then the next of kin can act as Administrator (essentially the same as executor). The next of kin is NOT a common-law spouse, who is in a complex situation and should take advice. Be very careful with potentially valuable items as their value needs to be established.

If professional help is needed, please contact The Probate Department (brokers) and we will find suitable help at a sensible cost.

Be aware that it is common practice for solicitors to store Wills, on the off chance that you will use them for the probate without ever comparing their fees with anyone else’s – when you might be able to cut them by 90%, this is not sensible! Even if the solicitors are named as executors, they can normally be asked to stand down (unless they have started work) if we can find you much lower fees, or you can do it yourselves. We don’t charge you anything to save you money.Be aware that lay executors cannot charge for their time, but they can recover any money they have paid out of the estate and perhaps mileage and post costs – keep records.  One executor decided they needed a car to carry out their duties, which was considered quite unacceptable by the court, so be prudent. Professional help can be reimbursed by the estate before distribution/Some executors refuse to give copies of the Will to beneficiaries: it is my personal opinion that this makes people suspicious and may well need to quite unnecessary legal action.

PRICE CHALLENGE: reliable professional probate help at a substantially lower cost?

Call Steve 03 300 102 300 (leave a call back number out of hours) or use the enquiry form here. We’re often asked how much does probate cost, and the answer is is nearly always less when we source quotes for you – there is NO cost and NO obligation.The firms we ask to quote are correctly regulated and past experience and customer feedback indicates that they do a good job as quickly as possible, and (importantly) their probate fees are very competitive. We don’t go for extreme low fees to ensure a reliable journey for clients.The expected minimum saving is THIRTY PER CENT and it is often FAR more than that. A useful boost for the beneficiaries for maybe 5 minutes chatting to us. If you already have a really good price, we’ll tell you straight away, but our PRICE CHALLENGE is well worth taking up, even just as evidence to the benficiries that you have done your best.Since 6 December 2018, solicitors are requires display prices and service information if they offer probate services. Few do, so comparisons are not easy without our help.

So how much does a solicitor charge for probate in Barking and Dagenham?

Many people still think probate solicitors have a monopoly, but they are rarely probate specialists. In general probate solicitors fees are high, often substantially higher than specialist probate lawyers. Some charge both high hourly rates and “responsibility allowances” which can be a high as 1.8% – so on a £100 bank account, an extra £1.80, a £10,000 one (same amount of work) £180, £100,000 and extra £1,800 and so on.It pays to get some alternative probate lawyers quotes as part of the duties of an executor to maximise what the beneficiaries inherit.

If you want to make your own probate application, there is lots of helpful content on the site, but do bear in mind that it is merely general guidance.

DANGER: We strongly suggest contacting us to find a competent and relatively inexpensive probate professional if:

1. The person responsible does not have the necessary administrative skills.
2. Inheritance Tax may be payable OR
3. If there may be a probate dispute – I have seen so many families fall out over Wills, and it can often be prevented if they blame a probate professional!
4. If there are Trusts involved (whether in the Will or not) 0r overseas assets.
5. If there have been significant gifts made by the deceased within the last 7 years (sometimes 14). If these gifts are added back into the estate, might IHT be payable or increased?
6. If the deceased’s home has previously been transferred to anyone else but they carried on living in it.

Professional services can range from just checking the forms to doing the whole thing, and we can usually save a great deal of money, often well over half.

How to find a Will

No Will? Then the Rules of Intestacy apply.

Then the next of kin can apply for probate if necessary, but they are called Administrators rather than Executors and who inherits is decided by the Law rather than the deceased or the family and disputes are even more likely, with dependants who are not legally family (such as common law spouses) may have to go to Court to obtain anything.

WARNING: some executors or administrators think they can do whatever they think is best with the proceeds and ignore the Will or Rules of Intestacy.. This is not so, and unless done in a legal fashion is potentially THEFT. They must do what the Will dictates, or follow the Rules of Intestacy. It is potentially possible to make changes via a Deed of Variation, but only if any beneficiary losing out is of sound mind and over 18. In that case Court approval will be needed. We can point you at relatively inexpensive advice.

The Executor Should Secure the Deceased’s Property and Possessions.

After the funeral and burial or cremation is complete, it’s time for the executor/s to start dealing with the deceased’s property and possessions.

• If their property is no longer occupied, the insurance of both buildings and contents needs review, contact the insurers as claims on empty properties may not be paid. More on insurance for empty properties.
• You should also consider changing the locks as no one knows who has keys. If it is rented, with the landlords’ permission or arrange for it to be valued and cleared quickly to reduce the rent payable..
• Secure any valuables if not already done – we would recommend photographing everything before removing it.
• Tracking down any assets that have been left in a will, administering or arrange to be set up any trusts set up before death,
• You’ll need to contact banks, insurers, mortgage lenders and other companies if applicable.  You will need to establish date of death values for both assets and liabilities. HMRC must be informed of the death to ensure they deal with any relevant tax issues, but if the Tell Us Once Service was used, they will be aware..
• If Inheritance Tax is a possibility, we would strongly recommend that you contact us so we can find you a suitable adviser as things can get very complex. For example, and gifts made within the last 7 years may be pulled back into the estate before tax is calculated.
• Where there may be debts, it would be prudent to advertise the death in the approved fashion in the local paper and Gazette to avoid creditors suing the executor.  If there is a business too, you may need to advertise in Trade papers as well.
• Unclaimed assets – many people have privatisation shares and other accounts which they have forgotten about so it is wise to check for unclaimed assets.
• BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU THROW AWAY!

 

Organise Financial Affairs with Banks, Insurance Companies and HMRC.

It is important to contact banks, insurance companies and HMRC as soon as possible after a person has passed away. For all assets or liabilities you will need a date of death balance, including any interest accrued but not yet added, so the executor might as well ask for it immediately. This means organising financial affairs and dealing with any debts that may be outstanding. . Obtaining probate (a legal document often required when administering an estate) can also help gain access to certain accounts. If inheritance tax is owed, it must be paid BEFORE probate is granted either from the estate or from the beneficiary’s own resources before inheriting or by way of a probate loan.

Paying IHT

Applying for Probate or Letters of Administration.

Probate is not always required, but the executor should keep careful notes of all assets and liabilities, partly as they have to account to the residuary beneficiaries (the ones who get shares of the estate rather than specific amounts or items), and partly as one item may turn up later which cannot be released without a Grant of Probate/ Letters of Administration and if you have not kept the notes, you may have to do everything again!Forms to apply for probate can be obtained by calling 0300 123 1072 (not us). Whilst our site helps with DIY Probate, there are three circumstances where we recommend you contact us to be introduced to a suitable probate adviser who can provide the level of help you need, from just checking the forms to doing everything.

1. If you are not good with administration or form filling.
2. If Inheritance Tax might be payable: it is more complex and with very tight time limits.
3. If there is any possibility of arguments over the estate – that way the probate adviser is the unpopular one, not you!

If not already done, at this stage it is wise to open an executors account with a bank, as allegations of all sorts can arise if you pay any funds into your own bank account.

Estate Administration

Once you have the Grant or Letters of administration, and you will need more copies than you expect. then you can gather in the assets, pay any outstanding debts, pay out the specific legacies such as £1000 or the mantle clock, get the estate accounts agreed by the residuary beneficiaries (they are the ones who get a proportion of the estate) and right at the end, once they have all agreed the accounts, you can pay them.All paperwork should be kept for six years.Should you need professional support, give The Probate Department (brokers) a call on 03 300 102 300 – leave a message after hours or if we are already engaged.There is a list of local crematoria and cemeteries below this form.

Information / Enquiry Form:

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Cemeteries in Barking and Dagenham

Forest Park Cemetery and Crematorium Forest Rd, Ilford IG6 3HP  020 8501 2236 Directions (pop in your postcode)

Chadwell Heath

This cemetery has an art-deco chapel which can seat up to 60 people.Chadwell Heath Cemetery, Whalebone Lane North, Chadwell Heath RM6 5QX

Eastbrookend

This cemetery has an attractive brick-built chapel which can seat up to 100 people.Eastbrookend Cemetery, The Chase, Dagenham Road, Rush Green RM7 0SS

Rippleside

This cemetery has a traditional stone-built chapel which can seat up to 60 people. It can also accommodate an organ if you wish to bring one.Rippleside Cemetery, Ripple Road, Barking IG11 9PF

Funeral Directors in Barking and Dagenham

Local Funeral Directors please add your name and address and phone number ONLY as a comment at the foot of the page.

• Dagenham Funeralcare Dagenham · 020 4571 7490
• Constable & Toop 48 Nuxley Road  
• T Cribb & Sons Funeral Directors & Monumental Masons Barking  
• West & Coe Funeral Directors Dagenham  
• Dignity 25 Faircross Parade Longbridge Road Barking IG11 8UW.

• A G Butler & Son Ltd 760 Green Lane, Dagenham, Essex, RM8 1YT

• Dagenham Funeralcare 521 Gale St, Dagenham, RM9 4TP.
• Please add yourselves at the foot of the page.