If you are looking at this page for information following the death of a loved one, please accept our sincere condolences.
All deaths that occur within the City of Southampton must be registered within 5 days. To do this you will need to book an appointment at the Registry Office. You can book the appointment online but you will only be able to do this once the Registry Office have received and processed the necessary paperwork from the relevant agencies (the Hospital or the GP depending on where the person died, or from the Medical Examiner or Coroner’s Office if there was uncertainty over the cause of death).
Do I need to collect a “Death Certificate” from the GP?
No, the Medical Certificate for the Cause of Death (MCCD) is now sent electronically to the Registry Office.
Why might there be a delay to the paperwork being issued or processed?
There may be a number of reasons for delay. Only a doctor who has been directly involved in the recent care of the person who has died can issue a certificate. They are only able to do this once the proposed cause of death has been discussed and agreed with the Medical Examiners Office. If it is not clear why someone has died, or if they have not been seen by a doctor for some time before their death, or of they had just undergone an operation, the case will need to be discussed with the Coroner.
