What to do when someone receiving end of life care dies
We’ve put together this guide to help you understand what you need to do and how to let us know, so we can bring them into our care as quickly as we can.
How to get in touch with us and what to do if your loved one dies in end of life care ('palliative care') at home, hospital, care home or hospice.
1. Get a medical certificate to confirm the cause of death
A doctor will need to confirm the cause of death and provide you with a medical certificate.
If they're at home
Contact your loved one’s doctor.
If they're at hospital
A doctor will provide you with a medical certificate.
If they're in a care home or hospice
The staff will contact the doctor for you.
2. Contact any friends or family members who need to know
You and your family can spend time with your loved one before we bring them into our care. You don’t need to tell everyone right away.
You could ask someone you trust to let wider friends and family know.
3. Whenever you’re ready, contact our team
You can call us 020 3966 3935 so we can bring our loved one into our care.
If they’re at home, a care home or hospice
Call our team at any time, day or night. We’ll arrive within four hours to bring your loved one to our local chapel of rest.
If they’re at a hospital
Call our team 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. If it’s outside these hours, your loved one can rest at the hospital before we bring them into our care.
What happens after they’re in our care
We’ll look after your loved one at a local chapel of rest. One of our funeral specialists will get in touch to talk through arranging the cremation.
We’ll also give you support and advice on ways to get everyone together for a meaningful send-off.
You’ll also need to:
Register the death at your local register office within five days of your loved one’s death
Tell organisations like banks and utility companies - you can use the Tell Us Once service to tell the government
Start dealing with your loved one’s property and money, if you want to
Got any questions?
Call us anytime day or night on 020 3966 3935. One of our friendly team of expert funeral specialists is available to answer any questions and talk things through.
We also have a guide on arrangements you can make when a loved one is in end of life care.
Article reviewed