When someone dies
When a death is sudden, or the coroner is involved.
A sudden death is a shock, and the process that follows can feel bewildering. Here is what usually happens, and what you can and cannot control.
Straight away
Call 999 and ask for an ambulance. Paramedics will come, and the police usually come too. Their being there is routine whenever a death is unexpected and does not mean anyone has done anything wrong. If you can, leave things as they are until they arrive.
Why the coroner is involved
Coroners are independent judicial officers. A death is reported to them when the cause is unknown, or when it may have been caused by an accident, an injury, an illness linked to work, or anything unnatural. Many deaths reported to the coroner turn out to be from natural causes.
The person is taken into the coroner’s care, usually at a hospital mortuary. A coroner’s officer will be your point of contact. They will explain what is happening and how long it is likely to take.
You can still choose your funeral director
Whoever the coroner uses to bring someone to the mortuary, the choice of funeral director is entirely yours. You can call us at any point, even before the coroner has finished, and we will keep in touch with the coroner’s officer for you.
If there is a post-mortem
The coroner may need a post-mortem examination to find the cause of death. You are not usually asked for consent, but you can tell the coroner’s officer about any religious or cultural needs, such as a funeral taking place quickly, and they will do what they can.
In many cases the cause of death is then clear, the coroner issues the paperwork, and you can register the death and hold the funeral as normal. This usually takes a few days to a couple of weeks.
If there is an inquest
If the coroner needs to look more closely, they open an inquest. This is a fact-finding inquiry, not a trial. The funeral can usually still go ahead once the coroner releases the person, and the coroner can give you an interim certificate so you can deal with the bank and the estate. The inquest itself may happen months later.
When we can help
As soon as the coroner releases them, we bring them into our care in Welshpool. If you would like to see them, we will let you know when that is possible and help you prepare. We have looked after many families in exactly this situation. You will not be on your own.
R G Peate Funeral Services, Salop Road, Welshpool. Office 01938 559 256 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm) · Out of hours 01938 810 657. rgpeate.co.uk
The guide
Other situations.
At home
Expected or sudden: who to call, and how long you can wait.
If they died at home
In hospital or a hospice
The bereavement office, the medical examiner, and when we collect them.
Hospital or hospice
In a care home
What the staff will do, and time to say goodbye.
Care home
Abroad
Who to call, and bringing them home to Wales.
A death abroad
When a baby or child has died
Time together, keepsakes, help with costs, and who can help.
A baby or child
Registering a death
Where, when, who can do it, and what to bring.
Registering a death
Whenever you are ready.
If someone has died, please call us at any hour and we will come to you. For anything else, you are welcome to call, write or call in.