Register a Death in Hackney and death and help with Probate

Dealing with a death in Hackney: registration, funeral and probate.

This is what you need to know when dealing with a death locally. It can be a daunting task, but our printable list of what to do and who to contact should make it much easier and avoid the legal jungles some folk land themselves in. many people will be able to manage the Probate side without professional help, but we can introduce you to tailored services should you need help – just call 03 300 102 300 or use the form at the foot of the page. At the time of writing, the Hackney Probate Registry is closed (unlike Hackney Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages – se below) to the public and any executor who has already submitted probate applications should ring 0300 303 0648. See Probate delays.   

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

Delaying this will delay other things, if the death was in hospital, they may well provide 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 mean the funeral is delayed. If the death is sudden and unexpected you should contact the Police non-emergency service on 101 to be on the safe side, and always the deceased’s doctor.

Who to Notify of a Death in Hackney.

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, a list 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. Some families organise viewings of the body, but I would suggest these are restricted to adults (personal experience.)The executor should arrange to secure any valuables if the property is no longer occupied – we would recommend photographing everything before removing it.

 

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The next step is usually to appoint a Hackney undertaker to collect the deceased part 1 HOWEVER…

a) Thousands of pounds can be wasted if there was a prepaid funeral plan and the wrong funeral director is used.                       Find a funeral plan.b) If the death in Hackney has been referred to the local Coroner, you will need their agreement to move the deceased as they may wish to examine the body.  Hackney Coroner is at 020 7332 1598  Coroner’s Office 4th Floor Central Criminal Court Old Bailey London EC4M 7EHand speak to one of the Coroners’s Officers if this is the case. co*****@**************ov.uk2c)  Getting the body removed is less critical if they died in a hospital, as they can normally be kept in the morgue.If the deceased lived in a care home, they will carry on charging fees (often over £1000 a week) until both the deceased and their possessions have been removed. Other residents do find it uncomfortable. A list of some of the Funeral Director Hackney appears at 12) below.Technically, appointing the funeral director is the job of the executor, so they should be involved if at all possible.  The person who appoints the funeral director can be held liable for the costs if the estate does not pay.TIP: banks, if asked in advance, will pay out funds to the funeral director if invoiced direct.  They will NOT release funds to reimburse the executor or family if they pay direct: they will have to wait until probate is granted (assuming it is needed) and claim as creditors.

Government help with bereavement.

Register a Death in Hackney with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages within 5 days:

Once it’s been established who should register the death, the next step is to contact the Hackney Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages if the person died in Hackney. You can register the death elsewhere, but the death certificate will always be issued where the deceased died, so there will be an additional delay. Registration is needed so that a certificate can be issued and used for important matters such as applying for probate and sorting out any property that was owned by the deceased. You’ll need to provide some personal details, such as their full name, date and place of birth, home address and whether they were married or not. The Registrar will also need to know where, when and how the death happened. What the Registrar needs to know (PDF download).NB – 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.We recommend taking advantage of the Hackney Registrars’ “Tell Us Once” service which will notify many official departments of the death and save time.

Hackney Register Office – where to register a death in Hackney

 Hackney Registrar of Births, Deaths and MarriagesHackney Service Centre 1 Hillman Street E8 1DY 020 8356 3355 020 8986 4946