Register a death

You must register a death within five days of it happening.

You should register the death with the registration service in the council area where the death happened. If the death happened in Swindon, you need to book an appointment at our register office. 

Please note:

The following places are not in the borough of Swindon:

  • Cricklade, Purton, Marlborough, Broad Hinton, Aldbourne and Royal Wootton Bassett – these are in Wiltshire.
  • Watchfield, Faringdon and Shrivenham – these are in Oxfordshire.

You can also check the council area where the death happened on the GOV.UK website.

Before taking any action, we need the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This is issued by the GP, hospital or bereavement office and sent directly to the register office in Swindon.

If it is difficult to come to our register office within the five days, you can arrange to present the information to any other register office. They will pass it on to us, which means the death is still registered in Swindon.

If the death has been reported to the coroner, you will not be able to register the death until the coroner has completed their investigation. You can find out about when a death is reported to the coroner on the GOV.UK website.

Who can register the death

You can register the death if you are:

  • a relative present at the death
  • a relative present during the last illness
  • a relative living in the registration district
  • a non-related person present at the death
  • the occupier of the premises, if aware of the death happening
  • the person arranging the funeral (but not the funeral director)

Other people may be able to register the death in certain circumstances.

Meeting with the registrar

When you register a death, the registrar will meet you in private and ask questions about the person who has died. They will ask you to check the information entered in the register carefully and to sign that it is correct.

What we need to know

To register a death, we will need the following information about the person who died:

  • Date and place of death
  • Full name
  • Maiden surname, if applicable (and information about another names used)
  • Date and place of birth
  • Occupation
  • Address
  • Full names and occupation of their spouse or civil partner if they were married or in civil partnership
  • NHS number or medical card (if possible)
  • Details of any benefits or entitlements they were getting, such as state pension

You will also need to tell us your name and address.

What you need to bring

You will need the following documents with you:

  • The deceased's birth certificate (if possible)
  • The deceased marriage or civil partnership certificate (if possible)
  • The deceased's NHS medical card (if possible)

Please note your appointment will be cancelled if:

  • you have not been advised to book an appointment by the Register Office, or
  • if the hospital, surgery/GP has not confirmed that the medical cause of death certificate (MCCD) has been sent to the register office

Book an appointment to register a death

Help us to improve this website

Use this form to provide feedback on this webpage. Don't use it to contact us about a service or make a complaint. We will not reply, even if you include personal details such as your name and address. If you want us to reply, you should contact us in a different way.

What is your feedback for this webpage?

Give feedback about this page