We know that losing a loved one is a difficult and emotional time, but there are certain legal and administrative procedures which must be followed when someone dies.
The responsibility for these arrangements normally falls to the executor, or the nearest surviving relative. You may wish to approach a professional funeral director to undertake some of the various tasks on your behalf.
Register the death
The first step is to register the death on the Lancashire County Council website. You must register the death within 5 days, including weekends and bank holidays.
Before you can register the death, you will need either:
- a medical certificate - ask the GP or hospital doctor.
- permission from the coroner that you can register the death - if the death was reported to a coroner.
You will get a certificate for a burial to give to the funeral director, or an application for cremation which you need to complete and give to the crematorium.
You must do one of these before the funeral can take place.
Arrange a funeral
The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, or you can arrange a funeral yourself.
You can find a local funeral director using the funeral director search website.
The funeral director will discuss the practical arrangements for the collection of the body with you and will obtain the necessary medical certificates.
More information is available on the GOV.UK what to do when someone dies step by step guide.
Tell the Government about the death
Tell Us Once is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. When you register the death, the registrar will give you a unique reference number to use the Tell Us Once service online or by phone.
After you register the death, you must use the service within 28 days.
Council Tax discounts and exemptions
When a property had been occupied by a single person, who either owned or rented the property, and that person dies, the property is exempt from Council Tax payments for as long as it remains unoccupied, and until probate is granted.
View more information about Council Tax when somebody has died.
If somebody has died and you are now the only person living in the property you will be entitled to single person Council Tax discount.