Practical Advice
Here at Cockwell’s Funeral Service, we offer useful and practical advice to help make the funeral planning process as seamless and stress-free as possible. When a person dies, it is essential you seek professional advice and guidance, so you know what arrangements need to be made, and how to properly plan the funeral service. Andrew Akins Funeral Directors only employ experienced and fully qualified staff, and can, therefore, advise on and assist you with every step of the process.
What To Do When Someone Dies
We can advise on all you need to know about what to do when someone dies. From knowing who to inform to registering the death, we have the information you will require below:
Who To Inform
As well as immediate family, doctors and registrars, it is important you know who to inform if someone dies. There are several additional organisations and individuals that will need to be informed of death occurrences, including:
- Friends that have yet to be informed
- The deceased’s employer, if relevant
- Inland revenue
- Royal Mail in order to have mail redirected
- The deceased’s solicitor, for the Will to be released
- Services including in-home care assistance and meals on wheels
- Facilities companies including, electricity, gas and water suppliers
- Bank and building societies the deceased had accounts with
- Insurance companies the deceased had policies with
The list above is not a definitive list of every organisation that must be contacted in the event of a death. Nevertheless, the list incorporates some of the most important organisations that need to be contacted. Of course, there may be numerous other parties and organisations that need to be informed of the person’s death.
Registering A Death
You should take the following documents with you:
- The medical certificate of cause of death, issued by your GP, the hospital, or coroner’s office
Along with the following information about the deceased:
- Full name and usual address, including maiden name, where applicable (a marriage certificate may provide this information)
- Date and place of birth (see birth certificate if available)
- Occupation and occupation of the spouse, if married
- The name and date of birth of any surviving spouse
When the death has been registered, a certificate will be issued by the registrar to authorise cremation or burial. It is essential this is forwarded to the funeral director so the funeral can be arranged.
Local Registration Offices
Local registration offices include:
Bridgend
Deaths and Marriages,
Register Office,
Bridgend County,
Borough Council Offices,
Sunnyside, Bridgend,
CF31 4AR
No appointment needed to register a death. Please ring: 01656 642391
Neath
Registration Office,
Forster Road,
Neath,
SA11 3BN
An appointment is needed to register the death.
Please ring 01639 760021/ 760020/ 760022
Swansea
Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages
Civic Centre,
Oystermouth Road,
Swansea
SA1 3SN
An appointment is needed to register a death.
Please ring: 01792 636188
Grieving
We understand that losing a loved one is a distressing and upsetting experience, and that grieving is the natural response that helps friends and family deal with their loss. Whether your loved one passed away without warning or the death was expected, the emotions and grief evoked can be hard to cope with. Natural emotional responses include feelings of intense sadness, crying, tiredness, numbness, and sometimes guilt.
Here at Cockwell’s Funeral Service, we have a private chapel of rest wherein some individuals find it helpful to see their deceased loved one to provide closure, while others prefer reflecting on memories from when their loved one was alive. We know different people have different ways of dealing with grief and do all we can to help you come to terms with your loss.
