KCC - Pandemic Forces Changes to Registering a Death

The process for registering a death in Kent has changed, due to the current Coronavirus pandemic. These changes are as a result of the Government’s legislative changes to support the fight against Coronavirus and will be coming in across the country.

It is no longer possible to book an appointment to register a death in person; instead this will now be carried out by telephone.

The process begins by making an online application here: www.kent.gov.uk/births-ceremonies-and-deaths/deaths/register-a-death. A registrar will then contact you by telephone to complete the process.

You must have a Medical Cause of Death Certificate (MCCD) from the doctor before you can register a death. With this new approach your GP surgery, hospital or hospice will have already sent KCC a copy of the MCCD, along with your details, which then the registration service will use to contact you to complete the registration. If anyone has received the MCCD form and not registered the death, then they will need to go to the website or call KCC’s contact centre and the procedure will be explained.

KCC’s registration service is working to complete registrations as quickly as possible and apologises for any delays anyone experiences due to the current circumstance.

The people who can register a death are: a relative of the deceased; a person who was present at the death; an administrator from the hospital where the person died; a person arranging the funeral; or the funeral director.

The registration service is free of charge, although there is a charge for buying copies of the death certificate, which can be discussed on the phone with the registrar.

After the registration entry is complete, the registrar will send by Email a certificate for burial or cremation (form 9) a green form to the funeral director or the crematorium. If the death has been referred to the Coroner and the funeral is a cremation, the equivalent form will be sent by the Coroner to your funeral director.

Birth registrations are currently on hold until further notice due to the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Murray Evans
Kent County Council

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