When Someone Dies at Home UK (2026): What to Do Immediately

Who you call first depends on whether the death was expected: (1) Expected death (terminal illness, palliative care): if a person has been under the care of a GP or palliative care team and their death was expected, call the person's GP surgery (or the out-of-hours NHS service 111 if outside surgery hours). The GP or a doctor who attended the patient in their final illness will attend to confirm the death and, if they are satisfied about the cause, issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This is the document you need to register the death. Do NOT call 999 unless there is an emergency situation; (2) Unexpected death (sudden, unexplained, or where cause is unclear): call 999 immediately. Ambulance paramedics will attend and confirm the death. If the cause of death is unclear, an accident, or involves violence, the police will also attend and the matter will be referred to the coroner; (3) Hospice or district nurse in attendance: many people die at home under hospice care or with a district nurse attending. In these cases, the nurse or hospice doctor confirms the death and initiates the certification process — the family does not need to call anyone separately; (4) Do not move the body or disturb the scene: if the death is sudden or unexplained, do not move the body or disturb the room before the paramedics or police attend. In cases referred to the coroner, the scene may be relevant to establishing the cause of death; (5) No one is present when the person dies: if you find a person who has died at home and are unsure when they died or what happened, call 999. Do not assume the death was expected.

The coroner's involvement is triggered in specific circumstances — the GP or attending doctor will report the death if any of the following apply: (1) The cause of death is unknown or uncertain: if the attending doctor is not confident of the cause of death, or the person had not been seen by a doctor recently enough to certify the cause, the death must be reported to the coroner; (2) The deceased had not been seen by a doctor in the 28 days before death: the 28-day rule is a common trigger — a death cannot be certified without a fairly recent medical attendance that could reasonably explain the cause of death; (3) The death was sudden, unexpected, or violent: includes deaths from accidents (falls, road traffic incidents), suicide, drug overdose, industrial disease, or other non-natural causes; (4) The death occurred during or shortly after an operation or medical procedure: surgical or anaesthetic risk requires coroner scrutiny; (5) Death in custody: deaths while in police detention, prison, or immigration detention are always reported to the coroner; (6) The coroner's process: the coroner may issue a Pink Form 100B (releasing the body without post-mortem) if they are satisfied about the cause of death after reviewing medical records. If not satisfied, the coroner orders a post-mortem examination. If still unclear, or if the death was violent or suspicious, the coroner holds an inquest — a public hearing to establish who died, when, where, and how. The inquest can take weeks or months; during this time the death cannot be registered and no grant of probate can be issued; (7) Death registration after coroner involvement: the coroner sends a coroner's certificate to the register office (form Coroners Certificate of the Fact of Death) which allows registration. The family cannot register independently until this certificate is received.

The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is the document issued by a doctor that states the cause of the deceased's death. It is the essential document without which the death cannot be registered: (1) Who issues it: only a doctor who attended the deceased during their last illness can issue the MCCD. This is usually the GP (if the person died at home under GP care) or, if the person died in hospital at home after a recent hospital stay, the hospital doctor. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 introduced Medical Examiners — senior medical professionals who scrutinise MCCDs before registration to improve death certification accuracy. Since September 2024, Medical Examiner scrutiny is mandatory for all deaths not referred to the coroner; (2) What it contains: Part 1 of the MCCD states the direct cause of death (e.g., pneumonia). Parts 1(b), 1(c), and Part 2 state contributing conditions. The document also states the deceased's name, date of birth, date and place of death; (3) Delivery: the MCCD is given to the family (usually in a sealed envelope) to take to the register office. In some cases the GP surgery will send it directly to the register office; (4) Without the MCCD: you cannot register the death. If the attending doctor is unavailable, contact the GP surgery, out-of-hours service, or the hospital to identify who will issue the certificate. Medical Examiners can assist in difficult cases; (5) After September 2024 — Medical Examiner scrutiny: before the MCCD is registered, the Medical Examiner contacts the deceased's family (usually by phone) to ask whether they have any concerns about the care the person received. This is a routine quality check, not an investigation — family members are not obliged to raise concerns but are entitled to do so.

After the death is confirmed and the immediate notifications are made, arrangements for the body must be put in place: (1) The funeral director: the family appoints a funeral director (undertaker) to remove the body from the home. Contact the funeral director promptly — they are experienced in all circumstances, including coroner-referred deaths, and will advise on timing. Most funeral directors operate 24-hour call-out services; (2) The body does not have to be moved immediately: there is no legal requirement to remove the body from the home immediately. Some families wish to keep the person at home for a period for cultural, religious, or personal reasons. The body can usually remain safely at home for 24–48 hours with the room kept cool. The funeral director can advise on specific circumstances; (3) If the coroner is involved: the coroner has authority over the body until the cause of death is established. The body will be moved to the mortuary for post-mortem examination (if ordered) by the coroner's officer. The family cannot delay this process. After the post-mortem, the body is released to the funeral director; (4) Property in the room: the deceased's personal belongings in the room are estate assets. Do not clear the room or remove items before consulting the executor, particularly if the death is referred to the coroner; (5) If the deceased died alone and was not found immediately: the GP or coroner will establish the approximate time of death. In cases of delayed discovery, specialist cleaning may be required — funeral directors can advise. All of the deceased's belongings remain estate assets; (6) Cultural and religious requirements: if specific religious requirements apply to the body (washing, positioning, timing of burial or cremation), tell the funeral director and, where the coroner is involved, the coroner's office immediately — some requirements have timing constraints that affect the post-mortem and release schedule.

After a person dies at home, the property needs to be secured and protected until the estate is administered: (1) Change the locks: if only one set of keys exists and multiple family members or neighbours have access, consider changing the locks immediately. The executor has the legal authority to secure the property. Unauthorised entry by family members (including removing belongings) is a civil wrong even if they will ultimately inherit; (2) Notify the home insurer: home insurance policies typically require the insurer to be notified when a property becomes vacant. Most policies have a 30–60 day vacancy clause after which cover is restricted or void. Notify the insurer immediately and ask about vacant property insurance. A specialist vacant property insurance policy is usually required — cost approximately £200–£500 for 6 months; (3) Collect the mail: arrange for mail to be collected regularly (or redirected using Royal Mail's redirection service). Mail piling up behind the door is a visible sign of vacancy and a security risk. Mail may also contain important financial documents relevant to the estate; (4) Maintain heating: in winter, keep the heating set to a minimum (typically 10°C) to prevent frozen pipes. Burst pipes in a vacant property can cause thousands of pounds of damage and may void the buildings insurance; (5) Council tax: the property becomes liable for council tax from the date of death. Apply to the local council for a probate exemption — most councils grant up to 6 months' full exemption while the estate is being administered. This exemption is not automatic and must be applied for with the death certificate; (6) Preserve the estate: do not remove, sell, or discard any items from the property without the executor's approval. Everything — furniture, clothing, cash, vehicles, documents — is an estate asset from the moment of death.