Bereavement Support Guide We’re Here To Help
Contents Page: 1
Introduction
Page: 2
Contact a Funeral Director
Page: 4
Speaking to the Medical Examiner
Page: 6
Make an Appointment to Register the Death
Page: 7
Register the Death
Page: 8
Return Drugs and Equipment
Page: 9
Other Arrangements
Page: 10
Ongoing Bereavement Support
Page: 12
Other Information
Page: 13
List of Local Funeral Directors
Introduction When somebody dies, there are many things to do. This can feel quite overwhelming at what is already a very difficult time. We hope that the information contained in this booklet will be helpful to you. We will all experience loss and bereavement at times in our lives and it is very common to feel a number of different emotions. In this booklet you will find helpful information regarding the steps you will need to take, and the services to inform, in the days following a bereavement. We have also outlined the contact details for our local funeral directors, as well as some useful online resources that you can access. We have outlined a number of practicalities that will need to be addressed but if you require any additional information or guidance then please do not hesitate to speak to us at St Wilfrid’s Hospice. We will be happy to help. Tel: 01243 775302
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Contact a Funeral Director Usually, the first step following a bereavement is to contact a Funeral Director to tell them you would like to use their services. They will arrange with you a time to collect the person who has died. If your loved one died at St Wilfrid’s Hospice, let us know which funeral director you will use and we will make arrangements with you and them. You may wish to spend some time with your loved one before they are collected. That is absolutely fine; just discuss this with your chosen Funeral Director or the ward. Though we are unable to make specific recommendations, there are a number of funeral directors within Hampshire and Sussex for you to choose from. Family or friends may be able to assist you with this decision, or you may already know the wishes of who your loved one would like you to use. We have listed contact details for local funeral directors later in this booklet. If you still need help, the following organisations can help you to find a local funeral director: •
National Association of Funeral Directors 0121 711 1343 www.nafd.org.uk
•
National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors 0345 230 6777 www.saif.org.uk
You may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment. Please see the following website for more details, including eligibility criteria. www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility
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Burial or Cremation
Your loved one may have expressed a wish to be buried or cremated. If they have not, you will need to make this decision. Please let us know if your loved one wishes to be cremated so we can ensure the necessary checks and paperwork are completed. This will not delay the death certificate being issued.
3
Speaking to the Medical Examiner It is now a national statutory requirement that all deaths are reviewed by a Medical Examiner (unless referred to the coroner). If your loved one has died on the Hospice ward, at home or in a care home, the Medical Examiner will review their care. Medical Examiners are senior doctors who have undergone specialist training to provide an independent review of all deaths that are not referred to the coroner. They must be independent so will not have been involved in the care of your loved one. If a coroner referral is needed, this will be discussed with you. This is unusual, but there are some deaths where a doctor is unable to issue a certificate, for example if the cause of death was uncertain. There are others that routinely need referral e.g. where there is an industrial disease like mesothelioma. The doctor at the Hospice will write the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death if your loved one has died on the Ward. This is needed for you to be able to register your loved one’s death. If your loved one has died at home or in a care home, the GP will usually issue the certificate. The Medical Examiner will review the records to confirm the cause of death. They will want to speak with you (or a nominated person) to see if you have any questions or concerns about the care of your loved one. Once the Medical Examiner is happy, the Medical Examiner’s Office will send the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the Registrar. They will inform you when this has been done so you can book an appointment to register the death.
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It is advisable not to make an appointment until you have been called by the Medical Examiner’s Office and they have confirmed the certificate has been sent to the Registrar. Your appointment will be in person and cannot go ahead without this.
5
Make an Appointment to Register the Death Unless it is being referred to the Coroner, you are required to register the death of your loved one within 5 days. You can only register the death once the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) has been completed. If there are delays in this process caused by a doctor or coroner you will not be penalised. If the death is being referred to the Coroner, you can register the death once you have received confirmation that the necessary paperwork has been issued to the Registrars. When you book the appointment, you will be told what you will need in order to register the death. You can book an appointment using the information below, depending on where you are located: •
West Sussex: www.westsussex.gov.uk/register or phone 01243 642 122
•
Hampshire: www.hants.gov.uk/birthsdeathsandceremonies/ death or phone 0300 555 1392
Below are the addresses for Havant, Chichester and Bognor Regis Registry Offices: Havant Registry Office 1st Floor Havant Library, Meridian Centre, Havant, PO9 1UN Chichester Registry Office West Sussex Record Office, 3 Orchard Street, Chichester, PO19 1DD
Bognor Regis Registry Office Bognor Regis Library, Wheatland Room, 69 London Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 1DE
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Register the Death By now you will have booked your appointment to register the death. Usually a relative of the deceased will register the death, but this can also be done by: •
A person present at the time of death
•
The person responsible for organising the funeral
•
The owner/manager of the residential home where the death occurred
Usually you will be told what you will need at the time of registering the appointment. You may wish to note down some extra details, such as: •
When and where the death occurred
•
The deceased’s date and place of birth
•
Full names used by the deceased throughout their lifetime (e.g. maiden name)
•
The last occupation of the deceased
It is useful, but not essential, to bring supporting documents such as birth certificate, marriage/civil partnership certificate or passport, to this appointment. When you register a death you will get a certificate for burial or cremation. You will also be able to buy death certificates that are needed to manage the affairs of the person who has died.
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Return Drugs and Equipment When a person has died at home, there will usually be a lot of equipment and medications to dispose of. Some people like to do this sooner rather than later, but you can do it at your own pace. Medications Drugs should always be returned to your nearest pharmacy for proper disposal. All pharmacies offer this service and it is always free of charge. If you can, please return medications in their original packaging. Never be tempted to share medications with somebody else as this can be harmful or even fatal. Medications should never be put in the bin or disposed of down the toilet or sink as this can be hazardous to the environment. Equipment Any equipment that the deceased person may have used can be collected by the organisation who delivered it. The items can then be cleaned and used again. •
In West Sussex, most equipment is distributed by NRS. You can phone them to collect equipment on 0345 127 2931, or email collections@westsussex.nrs-uk.net.
•
In Hampshire, equipment is usually organised by the NHS or County Council. Your equipment will usually be labelled with a sticker. You can find a phone number for returns on the sticker.
Continence Items Usually, animal shelters or charities are only too happy to receive any donations of unwanted pads or items to avoid excess supplies going to landfill. Please contact your nearest animal shelter to see what they can accept.
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Other Arrangements There are a number of organisations that need to be informed when a death occurs. These include the DVLA (for driving licences), banks, HMRC (for tax and national insurance) and the local council. TELL US ONCE SERVICE What to do when someone dies: www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies You can use the ‘Tell Us Once’ service to report a death to most government organisations in one go. Usually you are provided with a reference number when you registered the death, and the registrar will explain how to use the service. You must use the service within 28 days of registering the death. www.gov.uk/after-a-death You can also use services such as Life Ledger, www.lifeledger.com for a free to use service that allows you to notify multiple organisations of the death of your loved one at once. You may also wish to utilise support from other bereavement organisations, such as:
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•
In Hampshire you can call the Bereavement Care helpline 08081 691 922
•
The Coroners Courts Support Service, for practical and emotional support during an inquest 0300 111 2141
•
Stop Mail: one phone call to help stop unwanted mail to the deceased stopmail.co.uk
0333 006 8114
Ongoing Bereavement Support We understand that this is a very difficult time and that you may need ongoing bereavement support going into the future. There are a number of different support networks that you can access – you are not alone. Do not feel ashamed; grief can be a lengthy, complex process and everybody experiences it in different ways. St Wilfrid’s Bereavement Care At St Wilfrid’s Hospice we are fortunate to have our own bereavement service. You will receive a letter roughly three weeks following the death of your loved one which will include information on the bereavement services available to you and your family. Usually a member of the bereavement team will phone you about six weeks after your loss, to discuss the support available to you and answer any questions you may have. If you need support sooner than this, please contact the hospice on 01243 775302 and we will be happy to help. You can visit our website stwh.co.uk and use the search bar for ‘bereavement support’ for more information and helplines. 24-hour Helplines: If you need help NOW •
Samaritans – Phone 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org For support with whatever you may be facing, at any time of day.
•
Childline – Phone 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk Tailored advice, support and aids for Under 18s struggling with anything, at any time.
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Some Other Useful Organisations
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•
The Good Grief Trust www.thegoodgrieftrust.org is a charity run by the bereaved, for the bereaved. They aim to normalise grief and believe that everybody should have the opportunity to receive the tailored support they need to move forward with their lives.
•
Cruse Bereavement Care – Phone 0808 808 1677 (9am – 5pm) or visit www.cruse.org.uk for support with practicalities after death as well as bereavement care.
•
Bereavement Support Network www.bereavementsupport.co.uk can offer advice regarding funerals, probate, tax benefits and preventing junk mail to the deceased.
•
Winston’s Wish – Phone 08088 020 021 (8am – 8pm) or visit www.winstonswish.org for bereavement support for grieving children or young people.
Other Information We hope that you have found this booklet useful to guide you through the first days or weeks following your bereavement. It is a difficult time, but there is a vast network of support available to you. If you need any more information, the organisations on Page 10 may be of use to you in answering any questions you may have. Your chosen Funeral Director will also be an invaluable guide during this time.
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List of Local Funeral Directors Below is a list of some of the Funeral Directors within our catchment area. You can also contact the National Association of Funeral Directors (Phone 0121 711 1343) or visit www.nafd.org.uk for a more comprehensive guide. Please note that we are unable to make recommendations. Co-operative Kingsham Avenue, Chichester, PO19 8AW
01243 782209
230 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 5BA
01243 865119
6 Nyetimber Lane, Bognor Regis PO21 3HG
01243 268681
103-105 Felpham Way, Bognor Regis PO22 8QB
01243 587067
31 North Street, Emsworth, PO10 7DA
01243 376458
Dillistone & Wraights 49-51 Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, PO19 6SG 684735 27 Queensway, Bognor Regis, PO21 1QN
01243
01243 684765
F A Holland 3 Jubilee Road, Chichester, PO19 7XB
01243 782965
Cakeham Road, East Witterings, PO20 8EA
01243 671396
1 New Parade, High Street, Selsey, PO20 0QA
01243 602764
16 Ash Lane, Littlehampton, BN16 3BZ
01903 771010
8 Terminus Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5BU
01903 713939
Kevin Holland 246 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 5BA
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01243 868630
Merritt's of Midhurst Rumbolds Hill, Midhurst, GU29 9DG
01730 816245
Reynolds 43 Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, PO19 6SG
01243 773311
31 High Street, Bognor Regis, PO21 1RR
01243 864745
Horsham Road, Littlehampton, BN17 6LX
01903 730666
Some Other Options •
South Downs Natural Burial Site Sustainability Centre, East Meon, GU32 1HR
01730 823425
•
Pure Cremations www.purecremation.co.uk/
0800 470 2393
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Bereavement Support Guide Updated July 2023 © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved | Registered Charity in England and Wales No. 281963 | A Company Limited by Guarantee (St Wilfrid's Hospice (South Coast) Ltd.) registered in England and Wales No.1562110 |
Print date: May 2026
The Hospice would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from services offering their help at this time. Whilst the Hospice is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide. Please note, whilst information is correct at the time of publication, this may be subject to future change.
STOPPING JUNK MAIL If someone you know has died, we can reduce the amount of unwanted marketing post being sent to them, stopping painful daily reminders. By registering with our free service, the names and addresses of the deceased are removed from mailing lists, stopping most advertising mail within as little as six weeks.
Call: 0333 006 8114 OR
Visit our website: www.stopmail.co.uk bereavement support network stop mail
here to help
Calls are charged at standard landline rates. Calls from mobiles are included in inclusive call packages. © Bereavement Support Network Ltd 2026
We wish to thank the advertisers and sponsors, without whom A trading style of Turnside Marketing Ltd
this publication would not have
This publication has been jointly developed between ourselves and the hospice. We been possible. hope that it has been or will be of help at this time and we welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have.
However the hospice does not
Please contactany us either by phone, email or endorse of the products by post.
or services they provide.
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01253 832400 Please note, whilst information is correct at the time enquiries@rns.co.uk of publication, it may be subject to future change.
Professional Florists with a Personal Service At our core, we craft a variety of classic and traditional, contemporary, or environmentally conscious floral tributes that are unique to your loved one using locally grown, in-season, exquisitely textured flowers. We are here to assist you every step of the way. Mobile: 07742 666215 Email: hello@foxredflowers.co.uk Instagram: fox_red_flowers
www.foxredflowers.co.uk
We take great care to create a peaceful and tranquil environment in our Chapel and Gardens of Remembrance for people to visit and pay their respects. Chichester Crematorium, Westhampnett Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 7UH 01243 781816 / 01243 787755
Chichester Crematorium
Probate Solutions for cars The death of a family member can be a very difficult and traumatic experience and if you are trying to sell a vehicle that belonged to a deceased family member or friend you currently have limited options. Auto Matters makes things very simple without you having to leave your home. Our free service helps to overcome all of these problems. We will provide payment to yourself, an executor or a solicitor before we move the vehicle.
To get a valuation of the car, please visit www.automatters.co.uk or call 0333 006 2904
AM AutoMatters Funded by
The Bereavement Support Network
bereavement support network here to help
Published by RNS Publications © Tel: 01253 832400 R4