Today, the legal procedures surrounding certification, registration and Coroners’ requirements can be complicated and take some time to resolve before firm funeral arrangements can be put in place. That doesn’t mean, however, that your funeral director cannot be working on your behalf to expedite matters and plan the funeral itself. As soon as death occurs, contact your funeral director as soon as possible to receive support, advice and clarification of all that is happening and the order in which to do things.

Your funeral director acts as your agent in dealing with the majority of matters that need attending to and advises and supports you in those in which you are required to act in person such as registration of death.

Registration of death

A death is normally registered in the place where it occurred; not in the district where the deceased lived or the funeral is taking place. Thus, if a person dies whilst on holiday in Spain, the death will be registered in Spain and not in the UK. The registration must take place within certain time limits and be made by an appropriate person. It follows, therefore, that it is important and helpful to contact your funeral director before you act rather than the other way round (which many people believe).

Role of the executor

It is the role of an executor to oversee and carry out funeral arrangements and deal with legal requirements and practical matters relating to the deceased’s death and estate. Acting as an executor demands responsibility and legal awareness which is why a valuable part of our service to you is to provide you with legal support and advice from our solicitor Andrew Middleton at every stage of funeral arrangements.

Further Legal Support

Many families find that after the funeral has taken place, they still need to deal with matters such as Probate, insurances, bank accounts, investments, house sale, and the rewriting of wills. Having already spoken to Andrew over the course of the funeral, you have an established relationship with a Solicitor who can act on your behalf in such matters should you so wish.