What to do in the event of a death:

If someone dies at home:

Call the family doctor and nearest relative immediately. If the death was expected, the doctor will give you a medical certificate showing the cause of death. They’ll also give you a formal notice saying they’ve signed the medical certificate and telling you how to register the death.

If someone dies in hospital:

The hospital will usually issue a medical certificate and formal notice. The body will usually be kept in the hospital mortuary until the funeral directors or relatives arrange a chapel of rest, or for the body to be taken home.

Unexpected death:

If someone dies unexpectedly, or the family doctor hasn’t seen them in the last 14 days, the death may be reported to the Procurator Fiscal. The Procurator Fiscal is responsible for investigating unexpected deaths. They may call for a post-mortem. This may take some time, so the funeral may need to be delayed.

Death abroad:

If someone dies abroad, register the death according to the regulations of the country and get a consulate death certificate. Register it with the British Consul in the country too, so a record can be kept in the UK.

Registering a Death

New arrangements for the certification and registration of deaths in Scotland were introduced on 13 May 2015. This included the establishment of an independent review service run by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Information on all aspects of the Death Certification Review Service is available on the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website.

If you wish to make an application for an advanced registration, please inform the registrar when you attend to register the death. An application form is attached but it is not essential to complete this prior to attending the registration office.

Who can Register a Death in Scotland?

The death can be registered by:

Any relative of the deceased, or
Any person present when the person died, or
The deceased’s executor or other legal representative, or
The occupier of the property where the person died, or if there is no such person,
Anyone else who knows the information to be registered.

How and Where do I Register a Death?

Any death which occurs in Scotland must be registered within eight days of the date of death by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. The law allows a death to be registered in any registration district in Scotland. You can obtain the address from the following list:

The opening hours of registration offices varies between local authorities and some operate an appointments system. You should therefore check with the relevant local authority before attending an office. You will wish to note that a burial can take place before the registration but that a cremation can only take place after the death has been registered.