Legal Requirements & Documents Needed (England & Wales)

When a person dies in England & Wales, there are certain legal requirements surrounding documentation. The requirements are as follows:

Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)

If the death is not referred to the Coroner you will need to obtain a Medical Certificate of Cause if Death issued by a doctor (normally the one who treated the deceased) which shows the cause of death. This certificate will be in a special sealed envelope addressed to the Registrar. Please note and make sure that the certificate is inside a special sealed envelope when it is given to you by the doctor and extremely important also that it should be delivered to the Registrar unopened.

Formal Notice

The “Formal Notice” is also given by the doctor and states that the doctor has signed the Medical Certificate and tells you how to get the death registered.

Following the registration a “Certificate for Burial” (also known as the “Green”) will be given to you by the Registrar. This form gives legal permission for the body to be buried

Notification by the Coroner

If the death is referred to the Coroner but no inquest is to follow then a pink form P100 B (states the cause of death) will be sent directly to the Registrar by the Coroner in order to register the death.

If the death is referred to the Coroner for an inquest and following the inquest the body is to be buried an “Order for Burial” form P101 will be given by the Coroner for burial to take place.

The Coroner will also send a “Certificate After Inquest” form 99(rev), stating the cause of death, directly to the Registrar allowing the death to be registered.

Non Viable Foetus and Stillbirth

Non-Viable Foetus (NVF) means a child born prior to the 24th week of pregnancy. Stillborn means a child born after the 24th week of pregnancy.

If the still born is over 24 weeks then a “Certificate of Still Birth” will be issued by the attending Doctor or Midwife. Registration for the still born will also have to take place with the Registrars. If however the still born is 24 weeks or less a three-part form will be issued by the hospital and burial can take place immediately as no registration will be necessary.

For further information please contact MBCOL.