What to do when someone dies?

Losing a loved-one is difficult and we appreciate how daunting it can be to take the next steps

If someone has died and you need to arrange a funeral, we will guide you through every step. From the first phone call to the day of the funeral and even afterwards, we’ll support you in everything you need to do.

Contact us on 03338 804 488 or email us on support@harmonyfuneralcare.co.uk

From the very start Harmony are able to advise and help you through the process right through to laying someone to rest.

Below is an up-to-date guide [2022] on what to do when someone passes away. If you are uncertain of anything please call us anytime – we are available for support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Death in Hospital

1. Call your local Harmony Asian Funeral Directors branch to inform them of the death.
2. Contact the bereavement office at the hospital who will inform you of the next steps.
3. Depending on the nature of the death there are two possibilities
   • If the death is natural or the doctors know the cause of death, they will then issue a medical certificate, which you will be informed is ready to collect from the hospital.
   • If the death is unexpected or sudden, it is normal for the coroner to be involved.
4. Once a cause of death has been resolved, you will need to register the death at the local registry office to where the
   death occurred.
5. You will need to bring the certificate issued to you from the registry office to our offices to proceed with the funeral arrangements.

Death at Home or Care Home

1. If the death was expected you will need to call the Doctor who has been caring for your loved one, it maybe that you have to call an out of hours GP, who will come out to your residence to certify the death.
2. If someone becomes suddenly unwell call an ambulance, if they pass away at home within
   their care, the paramedics will then certify the death.
3. Call your local Harmony Asian Funeral Directors branch to inform them of the death.
4. We will then arrange to visit the home where your loved one is resting to collect them and bring them into our care.
5. The Doctor will then issue the family with a mxedical certificate, if the death was expected
   and that they had seen the patient in the past 14 days.
6. If this is not the case the doctor will inform the coroner, who will in turn look into the cause of death.
7. With the medical certificate, you will need to register the death at the local registry office to where the
   death occurred.
8. You will need to bring the certificate issued to you from the registry office to our offices to proceed with the funeral arrangements.

Deaths Abroad

Losing a loved one when they are on holiday or travelling to another country is often very unexpected. We understand that it can be daunting to understand the process of other countries.

Harmony has a dedicated Repatriation Service where our experienced team are able to deal with all of the processes involved in ensuring your loved one is returned back home so that funeral arrangements can be made.

More details can be found here, or please call us any time – we are open for advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

1. If a death takes place abroad it must be registered according to the law of that country.
2. The death should also be reported to the British Consul who may be able to arrange for the death to be registered in the UK as well.
3. Returning a body to the UK can be expensive but the cost may be covered by any travel
   insurance taken out by the person. If the death was on a package holiday the tour operator
   should be able to help with arrangements.
4. When a body is returned to the UK, the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for the district where the funeral is to take place must be told and will need to issue a certificate before burial can take place. If cremation is to take place the Home Office also needs to give permission.
5. If the death was not due to natural causes the coroner for the district will also need to be told and an inquest may need to take place.