What to Do When Someone Dies in Kent: A Step-by-Step Guide for the First 5 Days

When someone dies, the world seems to stop – and yet suddenly there are phone calls to make, paperwork to complete and decisions to take, all at the very moment you feel least able to face them. If you are reading this in those first hours, please know two things: nothing on this list needs doing all at once, and you do not have to work any of it out alone.

This guide walks you through the first five days after a death in Kent, step by step – who to call first, what the medical examiner does, how and where to register the death locally, and when funeral arrangements actually begin. We have also included what you don't need to worry about yet.

If you would prefer to simply talk it through with a person, call us on 01233 421852 – we answer 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and we will gently guide you through everything below. You may also find our What Do I Do Now? page helpful.

Step 1 – The First Few Hours: Who to Call

Who you call first depends on where and how the death happened.

If they died at home and the death was expected – call their GP surgery (or NHS 111 outside surgery hours). A doctor or qualified nurse will attend to verify the death. There is no rush beyond this; you can sit with your loved one, and call family, before anything else happens.

If the death was sudden or unexpected – call 999. The police and ambulance service will attend, and the death will usually be referred to the coroner. This is a normal legal process and does not mean anything suspicious has happened.

If they died in hospital – the ward staff will guide you. The hospital's bereavement office will look after the paperwork and tell you when it has gone to the medical examiner.

If they died in a care home or hospice – the staff will arrange verification of the death and can call us on your behalf, at any hour, if you tell them Hadaway & Denton are your chosen funeral director.

Once the death has been verified, you can call a funeral director whenever you feel ready – day or night.

Step 2 – Day 1: Bringing Your Loved One into Our Care

When you call us on 01233 421852, Jo or Carl will answer – not a call centre. We will ask a few simple questions, then come to bring your loved one into our care at our premises in Ashford, where they will be looked after with dignity until the funeral.

You do not need to have made any decisions about the funeral at this stage, and choosing a funeral director to bring your loved one into care does not commit you to anything. It simply means they are somewhere safe, local, and looked after – and that you can visit them in our Chapel of Rest when you are ready.

Step 3 – Days 1 to 3: The Medical Examiner

Since September 2024, every death in England and Wales that is not being investigated by a coroner is independently reviewed by an NHS medical examiner. This happens automatically – you do not need to arrange anything.

The medical examiner's office will usually telephone you within a day or two. They will explain the cause of death that the doctor has proposed, answer your questions, and ask whether you have any concerns. Once the review is complete – typically within two to three working days – the medical certificate of cause of death is sent electronically to the registration service, and you will be told that you can now register the death.

If the death has been referred to the coroner, the timetable is different and registration waits until the coroner has finished. Your funeral director will help you understand what is happening at each stage – and funeral planning can usually still begin in the meantime.

Step 4 – Days 2 to 5: Registering the Death in Kent

In England, a death should be registered within 5 days of the medical examiner's paperwork reaching the registrar (unless the coroner is involved). In Kent, registration is by appointment with Kent County Council's registration service.

• Book an appointment at kent.gov.uk – register a death or by calling 03000 41 51 51
• Local office: Ashford Gateway Plus, Church Road, Ashford TN23 1BT – other Kent offices are available if another is closer
• Who can register: usually a relative; the registrar will tell you if someone else may
• Helpful to take: the deceased's full name (and any previous names), date and place of birth, last address, occupation, and details of any spouse or civil partner. Documents such as their birth certificate, NHS number or marriage certificate help, but the appointment can still go ahead without them

At the appointment the registrar will give you:

• Death certificates (£12.50 each in 2026) – most families buy several copies, as banks, insurers and solicitors each ask for an original
• The certificate for burial or cremation (the “green form”), which is sent to your funeral director so the funeral can go ahead
• A Tell Us Once reference number

Step 5 – Tell Us Once: Dealing with Government in One Phone Call

Tell Us Once is a free government service that lets you report the death to almost every government department in one go – HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions, the DVLA, the Passport Office and the local council, including cancelling their pension, benefits, driving licence, passport and Blue Badge.

Use the reference number the registrar gives you, online or by phone, within 28 days. It typically saves a dozen separate, painful phone calls – we strongly recommend it. Banks, utility companies and other private organisations still need to be told separately, but there is no five-day deadline for those. Our useful contacts page lists the main numbers in one place.

The First 5 Days at a Glance

1. Verify the death – GP/111 if expected at home, 999 if unexpected, or staff if in hospital or a care home
2. Call your chosen funeral director, any time – we will bring your loved one into our local care
3. The medical examiner reviews the death and phones you – automatic, usually within 1–2 working days
4. Book and attend your registration appointment in Kent within 5 days of the paperwork being ready – collect death certificates, the green form and your Tell Us Once reference
5. Use Tell Us Once, then begin funeral arrangements with your funeral director – at your pace

That is genuinely all the first week requires of you.

What You Don't Need to Do This Week

Grief makes everything feel urgent. It may help to know that none of the following needs touching in the first five days: probate and the will, selling or clearing a house, notifying banks and insurers (no legal deadline), headstones and memorials, or even most funeral decisions – funerals in Kent typically take place two to four weeks after a death, so there is time to make choices you will not regret.

If money is a worry, please read our guide to arranging a funeral when there is no money – help exists, including the government's Funeral Expenses Payment, and we will always talk you through every cost openly. Our funeral cost calculator can also give you a clear idea of costs in a few minutes, with no obligation and no details required.

Common Questions

Can funeral arrangements start before the death is registered? Yes. We can bring your loved one into our care and begin planning straight away; only the funeral itself needs the green form.

What if the coroner is involved – have I done something wrong? Not at all. Coroner referrals are routine for sudden or unexplained deaths. Registration simply waits, and we will liaise with the coroner's office for you.

How quickly must the funeral happen? There is no legal deadline in England. Most families hold the funeral two to four weeks after the death.

What does a funeral cost? It varies enormously with the choices you make – from a simple direct cremation to a full service. Our cost calculator shows you, openly and instantly, what each choice costs.