You will need to register a death by booking an appointment. The appointment can be booked in the borough where the death occurred.
If the death took place in Northwick Park hospital please contact Brent's Register office.
You should register a death within five days. We recommend that a relative of the deceased registers the death. If this is not possible please contact us.
Registering a death
You can book an appointment to register a death. What you will need to provide when registering a death:
- The full name of the deceased. Including any middle names or maiden names.
- The date and place of death.
- The date and place of birth.
- The full address and occupation.
- The full names and occupations of any spouses. This is if the deceased was married or widowed.
- The full names and occupation of the deceased and any surviving partner. This is if the deceased was in a civil partnership.
What happens at the appointment?
At your appointment you will be issued with:
- a full / short death certificate,
- a green burial or cremation certificate. In case of a burial, this form should be given to the funeral director. In case of a cremation, the coroner will pass the document to the funeral director for you.
- a Tell Us Once (TUO) unique reference number.
TUO is a free service which enables you to report a death to one government department. The report is sent to all the right central and local government departments on your behalf. Find out more about the TUO service.
What is a Medical cause of death certificate?
When a death occurs, the deceased’s doctor will issue a ‘Medical cause of death certificate' (MCCD) to the medical examiner. This confirms the cause of death. The coroner may issue a post mortem report, if they were involved.
The medical examiner will scrutinise the MCCD then email the MCCD to the Register office. Once we have received this, you can book an appointment to register the death.
The medical examiner will email the Register office showing the cause of death. Please do not collect this from the surgery.
What is a coroner's certificate?
Before your appointment, the coroner will issue a coroner's certificate if:
- a post-mortem examination is required
- the death is confirmed to be from natural causes.
You can contact us to confirm the coroner has sent us the certificate. A medical certificate will not be issued.
How much does a death certificate cost?
The charge for a death certificate is currently £12.50
What if the death occurred outside the borough of Harrow?
If the death occurred outside Harrow, you may declare the death at Harrow. You will not get the death certificate at your appointment. The details of the death will be sent to the borough where the death happened.
The council will issue the death certificate and post any relevant documents to you. There's no fee for making the declaration at Harrow. But, the borough registering the death will charge for the certificate. Please note, this process may delay any funeral plans.