You have eight days to register a death in Scotland. In some cases, there may be a delay in issuing the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD/Form 11), which is emailed directly to the registration office by the certifying doctor.

While you can register a death at any Scottish registration office, most families prefer to use their local one. The law now allows for deaths to be registered remotely, so in North Lanarkshire, this can usually be done over the phone. If a phone call isn't suitable, please contact us to discuss other options.

• Any relative of the deceased
• Any person  present when the person died
• The deceased’s executor or other legal representative
• The occupier of the premises where the person died
• Anyone else who knows the necessary information to register the death

The certifying doctor should email the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to the chosen registration office along with the next of kin's contact name and telephone number. If no contact details are provided, it is then the responsibility of the informant to contact the Registration Office to initiate the process. 

Once the necessary information and MCCD/Form 11 have been received, a Registrar will call the informant (usually a close family member) to verify all details. Please note our call will appear from an 0845 number; do not block or ignore these calls.

You’ll need to provide the registrar with the following details about the deceased:

• Full name
• Date, place, and country of birth
• Marital status
• Occupation
• Address
• Full names of all spouses and civil partners and their occupations
• Father's full name and usual occupation
• Mother's full name, maiden name, and usual occupation
• Any other surnames for the mother
• If the parents are still alive and whether they are retired
• Name and address of the deceased’s registered doctor

Funeral director’s name and contact details

Once registration is complete, you will receive the following documents by post:

• Abbreviated Death Certificate: Free, shows the person’s name, date, and place of death.
• Form 14: Certificate of registration of death, emailed to your chosen funeral director as this is required by the funeral director before any burial or cremation service.
• Tell Us Once Information and Unique Reference Number: Helps notify government services about the death.

A full Death Certificate can be purchased at the time of registration and within the first month of registration for £10 plus postage (needed for notifying organisations such as insurance companies and pension providers).

NHS Scotland carry out a review to help improve the quality and accuracy of all MCCD. If selected for review, you might not be able to register the death immediately. The registrar will inform you about the review process and timeline. You can start funeral arrangements, but the funeral cannot take place until the review and registration are complete.

Tell Us Once is a service that helps you notify government services and certain council services about the death with one telephone call by phoning: 0800 085 7308 or completing an online registration with the unique reference number you will be given by the registrar.

Find out more about the service.

This payment supports people in Scotland on certain benefits or tax credits with funeral costs. Applications can be made up to six months after the funeral.

Check eligibility and apply online at www.mygov.scot/benefits.

Our Tackling Poverty team can provide information on funeral support payments. Contact them at 01698 332551 or tpteam@northlan.gov.uk

We have three registration offices in North Lanarkshire. Contact your preferred office to start the registration process. You can reach us Monday to Friday, 10am – 12noon & 2pm – 4pm.

• Airdrie: Tel: 01236 758080, Email: registrars-airdrie@northlan.gov.uk
• Cumbernauld: Tel: 01236 632740, Email: registrars-cumbernauld@northlan.gov.uk
• Motherwell: Tel: 01698 302206, Email: registrars-motherwell@northlan.gov.uk

If you have a registration emergency, such as the need to transport the body abroad or a quick burial for cultural reasons, please contact us by calling 07985 330371.