Register a death

Register a death

Dealing with the death of someone you care for is a difficult time. We aim to make it as easy as possible and our staff will help guide you through the process.

If the person passed away in Newham, the death must legally be registered here, regardless of where the deceased lived at the time of death.

The death should be registered within 5 days unless it has been referred to the coroner. Registering a death is free, but there are fees for obtaining copies of the death certificate.

Please note that an appointment is required to attend our office for death registration . As soon as you know that the MCCD has been received by us you can book an appointment to register a death.

Book an appointment to register a death

If you require assistance with registering a death

You can contact us:

  • Call our customer contact centre: 0208 430 2000
  • Call us: Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm, weekend and bank holiday 9am -12pm on  07801 244 805
  • Email us: register.office@newham.gov.uk
  • Talk to us in person: Monday – Friday 9am – 12pm,  East Ham Town Hall, 324 Barking Road, East Ham, E6 2RP

To reschedule appointment on day of appointment please contact us.

Out of hours emergency burial service

We offer an emergency death service for deaths and stillbirths that have occurred in Newham, which require a same day burial.

The service is available: 9am to 12pm on Saturday, Sundays and bank holidays.

A registrar will be available by phone and can issue the green form that will allow the burial to take place on the same day.

The green form will be scanned directly to the funeral director / burial society so that the funeral can take place.

We can only issue a green form if an acceptable medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) is sent to register.office@newham.gov.uk and there is no reason for the death to be referred to the coroner.

If you need this service, please contact the on call registrar during the operational hours on 07801 244 805.

When the burial certificate is issued as an emergency, the family members or informants of the deceased will need to book an appointment to register the death at a later date. We can arrange an appointment for you to go to the East Ham Town Hall to register the death during the following week while on the phone with you.

All death registrations must be registered in person, by appointment only.

To make an appointment, fill out our appointment request form:

If you need any help you can contact us:

You are able to reschedule a booking. To reschedule appointment on day of appointment please contact us.

Who can register a death?

This is usually done by a relative but the following people can also register a death:

  • a person present at the death;
  • a person who lived at the same address, if they are aware of the death;
  • the person arranging the funeral.

If English is not the first language of the person registering the death they can ask a friend or relative to be with them when making the registration.

If you are arranging a funeral you can apply for specialist parking permits for funerals.

Information you will need

The registrar will be sent the medical certificate issued by the doctor showing the cause of death. If the death has been referred to the coroner, the Coroner’s Office will advise you what to do.

The registrar will need to know the:

  • date and place of death;
  • full name and surname of the deceased;
  • maiden surname (if applicable, and if it is different from their married name);
  • deceased person’s date and place of birth;
  • deceased person’s job;
  • usual address of the deceased;
  • full name and job of her husband if the person who died was a married woman, or a widow;
  • date of birth of the surviving widow/ widower if the person who died was married. 

Documents you will receive

You should receive the following three documents from the registrar:

  • Death certificate - issued at the time of registration or at a later date for £12.50 card payment only
  • Certificate for burial or cremation – This will normally be passed to the funeral director. It allows the funeral to take place. If a death has been reported to the coroner they may issue the certificate instead;
  • Certificate for applicable Social Security benefits – The person registering the death will be issued with this certificate so it can be sent to the Department of Social Security.  

You must pay for a death certificate using a credit or debit card. 

Copy of a death certificate

You can request a copy of a death certificate should you need one, for things like:

  • Bank and building society accounts
  • Insurance companies who have issued policies covering the deceased
  • Dealing with any stocks and shares owned by the deceased
  • Probate or letters of administration
  • Application for tax rebate if appropriate.

You may buy certified copies of the death entry from the registrar at the time of registration or afterwards. They can be provided in printed or handwritten form.

Visit our copy certificates page for details of how to purchase copy certificates.

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