What to Do When Someone Dies in Newcastle

Losing someone is one of the hardest things any of us go through, and very little has to happen immediately. This is a plain, practical guide to the steps that usually follow a death in Newcastle, and to the local services that can help. Take it at your own pace.

In the first few hours and days

What happens first depends on where the person died.

• At home or elsewhere in the community. If the death was expected, call the person's GP surgery, or NHS 111 out of hours, so that a doctor or nurse can confirm it. If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 999.
• In hospital, a hospice or a care home. Staff will look after the immediate steps and explain what happens next. Many deaths in the city happen at the Royal Victoria Infirmary or the Freeman Hospital, and the hospital's bereavement team will be your first point of contact.

Once the death has been confirmed you can contact a funeral director whenever you feel ready. They can bring the person into their care at any hour, and there is no need to make every decision in that first call.

The medical certificate and the medical examiner

Since September 2024, every death in England that is not referred to the coroner is reviewed by an independent medical examiner before it can be registered. In practice, the doctor who cared for the person completes the medical certificate of cause of death, the medical examiner's office reviews it, and someone from that office will usually phone the next of kin to talk it through and answer any questions about the cause of death.

When the review is complete, the paperwork is sent electronically to the register office, so you do not need to collect a certificate yourself. If the coroner is involved, the coroner's office will contact you and explain how this changes the timings.

Registering the death in Newcastle

A death is registered in the district where it happened. For a death anywhere in the city, including the hospitals, that means the Newcastle Register Office at the Civic Centre on Barras Bridge (Arches Reception), a short walk from Haymarket Metro.

• Book first. Registration is by appointment only. Newcastle City Council asks you to check that the medical examiner or coroner has sent the documents before booking, then to call 0191 278 7878 and ask for "registrars", or email registrars@newcastle.gov.uk.
• Time limit. The death should be registered within five days of the medical examiner contacting you, and the council counts weekends and bank holidays within that.
• Certificates. The registrar issues the death certificate at the end of the appointment, at £12.50 per copy. Card payment only, as the office does not take cash. It is worth buying several, because banks, insurers and the probate process often each want an original.

You can make a declaration at another register office instead, though this slows things down. The council's own step-by-step guide has the full details, and our council services guide covers getting to the Civic Centre.

Tell Us Once

At your appointment the registrar will offer Tell Us Once, a free government service that passes the news to most central and local government departments in one go: HMRC, the DWP and pensions, the Passport Office, DVLA, and Newcastle City Council for council tax, benefits and blue badges. The registrar gives you a reference number to use online or by phone. You will still need to contact banks, utility companies, landlords and private pension providers yourself.

Arranging the funeral

Choosing a funeral director is a personal decision, and it is always fine to phone more than one and ask for a written estimate. Prices must now be published, so you can compare like with like. These are among the established firms closest to the city centre.

John Bardgett & Sons, Westgate Road

John Bardgett & Sons has served Newcastle since 1914, when John Bardgett set up on Westgate Road, and today works from Oakwood House further along the same road. It is part of the Dignity group and has private chapels of rest and a small service chapel on site.

Best for: Best for: a long-established West End firm a short drive from the centre.

Thornhill Funeral Services, Jesmond

Thornhill Funeral Services is a small, independent, family-run firm on Mistletoe Road in Jesmond, run personally by a qualified funeral director and embalmer. It arranges traditional funerals as well as simple and direct cremations.

Best for: Best for: one familiar point of contact from start to finish.

W.S. Harrison, Shields Road

W.S. Harrison Funeral Directors is based at St Mark's House on Shields Road in Byker, one of several Newcastle branches of a firm that is also part of Dignity.

Best for: Best for: families in the east end and Ouseburn side of the city.

A good funeral director will talk you through burial or cremation and the shape of the service, at your pace. If money is a worry, ask early about a simple or direct cremation, and check whether you qualify for the government's Funeral Expenses Payment.

West Road Crematorium

Most cremations in the city take place at West Road Crematorium in Fenham, run by Newcastle City Council's Bereavement Services. It has two chapels, the larger of which is wheelchair accessible, and the grounds are open to visitors every day. Your funeral director will normally book the date and time. The council's Bereavement Services, based at the Civic Centre, also manages the city's cemeteries.

Best for: Best for: cremation services and quiet remembrance within the city.

Support for you

Grief comes in waves, and looking after yourself matters too. You do not have to cope alone:

• St Oswald's Hospice in Gosforth offers bereavement support to adults and children, one to one and in groups, whether or not the person who died was cared for there. Demand is high, so there may be a wait.
• Cruse Bereavement Support, the national bereavement charity, runs a free helpline and online chat.
• Samaritans can be reached free on 116 123, day or night, if you are struggling.
• Marie Curie has a free support line for anyone affected by death and bereavement.

Your GP can also refer you to local counselling. Our Bereavement & Funerals hub gathers local funeral directors and support services in one place.

If you know a Newcastle service that has helped you or your family at a difficult time, we would be grateful to hear about it via our contact page.