What to do when someone passes away

Professional advice and support to help you through the different stages of this time. From who to call first, how to create the perfect send-off and funeral myths.

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Guidance when you need it most

Following the passing of your family member or friend, it can be difficult to know where to start in terms of making arrangements. We've put together some of our most frequently asked questions, to help you take the next steps and learn more about what happens.

Our friendly, experienced team are committed to making the entire process as straightforward as possible for you, so if you need help planning a funeral or simply require more information before you get started, please feel free to contact us directly via our contact form or for more urgent requests, call us on the telephone numbers at the top of the page.

Frequently asked Questions

What do I do if someone passes away at home?

When someone passes away at home, or in a nursing home, the first thing to do is to contact the doctor’s surgery that they were registered with. Someone will then come out and will be able to confirm that death has occurred. If death occurs outside of normal surgery hours, then an “on call doctor” will take the place of the regular GP.

When the Doctor, or qualified person, has verified the death you will be advised to contact your chosen Funeral Director. Should you wish for us to be your chosen Funeral Director, we will ask a few questions about the person who has passed away and yourself as the caller. Our aim will then be to arrive within one hour to bring them into our care

What happens if the coroner in involved?

Deaths are referred to the coroner by the GP or emergency services if the death is sudden, or the cause of death cannot be readily established by the GP.

This can simply be because the person has not been seen by the doctor within the last 14 days, or because the person may have died from something other than that which the doctor was treating. Occasionally the family can prevail on the doctor not to refer to the coroner, or the doctor can speak to the coroner to try to avoid a post-mortem if the cause of death is not really in question. If in doubt, the coroner will always proceed with a post-mortem.

What is a post-mortem?

A post-mortem is an external and internal examination of the person’s body and is needed to establish the cause of death. If after making all necessary enquiries, and the cause of death is established as natural causes, then the coroner will not request a no post-mortem. In this case, and if the person is to be buried, the family need to register the death in the normal way. In the case of cremation, the coroner will inform the Registrar, which then allows the funeral to proceed; however, in this case, the family will need to visit the registrar to get death certificates

What is an inquest?

This is called if circumstances surrounding the death require some further investigation – this could be due to concern over nursing or medical care, alcohol or drug use while in care, the death being sudden and unexplained, chance of suspected foul play, or possibly to ‘learn the lessons’ for future such cases.

If called, it is immediately adjourned to allow for the facts to be gathered and need not delay the funeral. If this happens, an interim death certificate is produced and act as a normal death certificate until after the inquest is finalised.

What do I do if someone passes away at home?

How do I register a death?

You should register the death within 5 days of their passing. This should be done within the county the death happened.

For deaths in James Cook or North Tees Hospital, the bereavement team will contact you to arrange the registration.

For deaths on Redcar and Cleveland please call 01642 444440 and Middlesbrough, please call 01642 729004.

Who should register the death?

A relative should register the death.

If a relative cannot register the death, you can do it if you:

were there at the time of death
are an administrator from the hospital (if the person died in hospital)
oversee making funeral arrangements

We want to carry the coffin, is that ok?

Yes, this can be one person or 6 there are no set rules with us. Your Funeral Director will brief anyone who wishes to carry the coffin when you arrive at the service location. We will always have a full team there to support the people carrying the coffin and explain things so that you carry the coffin in a dignified and safe manner for your loved one.

We have people who can't make the service, what can we do?

Kirkleatham and Acklam Crematorium both have the facility to have a live webcast. These facilities are available as a live recording or a live recording with a 28-day playback. You also have the option to have the service recorded on a USB or DVD.

What happens to the online donations?

Online donations made through our MuchLoved tribute pages are all processed through MuchLoved. They deduct a 3.2% transaction fee which includes all development and administration of the donation processing service as well as the full Gift Aid reclaim process. This enables them to run and support the donation facility on a not-for-profit basis, with the transaction fee considerably cheaper than that of other suppliers.

I feel like a need some bereavement help, where can I go?

ry talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor. There are many organisations out there to help support you during this time and into the future. One of the biggest is Cruse Bereavement Care.

For more information in the Redcar and Cleveland area please visit https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/bereavement-support

How much does a funeral cost?

For more information on funeral costs in Redcar, please see our dedicated
Prices and Services page.

Are there any finance options available?

You can apply for finance to help towards the cost of a funeral by clicking the link below. This will take you to our dedicated page for funeral finance from our partners FuneralSafe

Roseberry Funeral Service – Funeral Safe — Partners

Can I get any financial help?

Expenses Payment from the Government:

You (or your partner) must be getting one or more of the following:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing Benefit
the disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Universal Credit

You can still claim a Funeral Expenses Payment if you’ve applied for these benefits and you’re waiting to hear about your claim.

To be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment, you must be

the partner of the deceased when they died
a close relative or close friend of the deceased
the parent of a baby stillborn after 24 weeks of pregnancy
the parent or person responsible for a deceased child who was under 16 (or under 20 and in approved education or training)

What are the benefits of a Funeral Expenses Payment?

You might not get a Funeral Expenses Payment if another close relative of the deceased (such as a sibling or parent) is in work.

A Funeral Expenses Payment can help to pay for some of the costs of the following:

burial fees for a particular plot
cremation fees, including the cost of the doctor’s certificate
travel to arrange or go to the funeral
the cost of moving the body within the UK, if it’s being moved more than 50 miles
death certificates or other documents

You can also get up to £1000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers, or the coffin.

The payment will not usually cover all the costs of the funeral.

How much you get depends on your circumstances. This includes any other money that’s available to cover the costs, for example from an insurance policy or the deceased person’s estate.

https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments

Should I choose burial or cremation?

This is something only you can decide. If you haven’t already discussed this, then it can be a difficult decision to make. On average 75% of funerals in the UK are cremation. The cost of a burial varies depending on if you own a plot or need to purchase one at the time. Costs also change, depending on if you are a resident of the area the cemetery is located.

Nevertheless, the choice between cremation and burial is a personal decision to be made by you and your family. Should you be making the decision on your loved one’s behalf, you should take their beliefs into account.

What is embalming?

This is the process where the body is preserved using preservatives to slow the effects of natural deterioration. The process helps by making the deceased appear restful and can even help with the effects of disease or other causes of death. The embalming process helps to achieve a natural and comforting lasting image of your loved one.

Can I put personal items in the coffin?

You can put personal items into the coffin, or we can on your behalf. This can include letters, photographs, jewellery (watches will need batteries removing), religious tokens, teddies and toys and flowers.

There is a list of items that are not allowed to be cremated, but the key two are alcohol and anything with a battery. If you are worried, please talk to us and we can advise you.

How can I personalise the funeral service?

There are many ways that you can personalise a funeral, from small to the big details that make the service so special.

Location – having the service in Church, the crematorium chapel, or somewhere special to you. We have conducted many funerals at more unique places as well as traditional.
Music, readings, and poems – we hear many times “It's their favourite song but we can’t have that at a funeral”. Our response – why not? Your minister or celebrant will help you with readings and poems but if you have one that is special to you, this should be included.
Coffin – there are so many choices with a coffin that can really help to reflect a person’s life and personality. From a special engraving to the colour and style all of these can varied to each person.
Vehicle – there are many ways to transport both your loved one and family members to a funeral. You can choose anything from a traditional hearse through to limousines, motorbikes and sidecars, coloured hearses, tandem bikes, vintage cars, and horse-drawn carriages. If your loved one was passionate about a particular type of vehicle, then incorporating it into the funeral procession could create a meaningful moment.
Flowers – Personalised funeral flowers are a popular choice and provide an opportunity to celebrate a loved one’s hobbies or passions. For example, you could include the instrument of a musician within the floral display or choose funeral flowers in the colours of a person’s favourite sports team. For keen gardeners, you could include their favourite plants and flowers within the floral display or even use flowers from their garden. Some people do not like flowers, so why not have something else that is important to them.
Attire – incorporating a special colour can be the perfect way to add some touches to a funeral service. Although wearing black or dark colours is traditional funeral attire, this may not reflect a person’s character. Incorporating a dress code could work well for someone who was known for their style. If a loved one had a favourite colour, then you could request for guests to wear a pop of that colour to the funeral. Alternatively, you could ask guests to avoid wearing black or dark colours altogether. Perhaps your loved one was a big fan of hats or a specific type of clothing, in which case encouraging guests to wear that type of clothing in tribute could work very well.

Do the coffins get re-used?

No. The coffin and the person inside are cremated/buried together

Is everyone just cremated at the end of the day

No, each cremation is carried out separately.

Funeral directors can charge whatever they like

As independent funeral directors, we have always been open and honest about our prices. They are on display in our offices, on our website and in our literature.

Anyone can be a funeral director

Yes, however, our Funeral Directors are fully qualified or working towards their qualifications. A funeral directors perform a unique role in society. It is a role that encompasses vocation, profession, and business all at the same time. The functions of a Funeral Director are to be a master of ceremonies, custodian of the deceased, technical adviser, agent and contractor to the client. To deliver this wide-ranging role, Funeral Directors must be approachable, sympathetic, and experienced professionals - capable of assuming the entire responsibility for overseeing the arranging, organising and conducting of a funeral in line with the wishes of the client. They must always be available in time of need and always capable of providing emotional support, expert advice and practical help; caring for the living and the dead with equal levels of professionalism and compassion.