Finding someone dead at home, or being present when they die, is frightening even when you knew it was coming. There’s no need to do anything to the body straight away, and there’s no clock running in the first few minutes. This guide covers exactly what to do next, in order, whether the death was expected or came without warning – see our funeral planning hub for guidance on everything that follows, once you’re ready for it.
Quick-reference: what to do first
| Situation | Who to call first | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Expected death (GP, hospice, or palliative care involved), during the day | The person’s GP surgery | A doctor or nurse comes to verify the death |
| Expected death, evening or overnight | NHS 111, or the hospice/district nurse number you were given | A healthcare professional verifies the death, sometimes the next morning |
| Unexpected or unexplained death, or you’re not sure | 999 (police and ambulance) | Police attend as standard procedure; the death is usually reported to a coroner |
| Death already expected imminently, with a care team’s out-of-hours number | The number the care team gave you | They arrange verification directly, no need to call 111 |
If the death was expected
If the person had a terminal illness and was being cared for by a GP, hospice, or palliative care team, the death is not a medical emergency and you don’t need to call 999.
During GP surgery hours, call the surgery and explain that the person has died. Outside surgery hours – evenings, weekends, bank holidays – call NHS 111, who can direct you to the right out-of-hours service. If a hospice or district nursing team was involved in the person’s care, they will usually have given you a direct number to call at this point instead – use that first, since they already know the person’s situation.
A doctor or nurse will need to come out to verify the death formally, but this doesn’t have to happen immediately. If someone dies overnight, it’s fine to wait until morning to call, if that’s what the family wants. There’s no legal requirement to report a death within a set number of hours.
If the person was on an end-of-life or palliative care plan, there may already be a document at home – sometimes called an anticipatory care plan or a “just in case” box – that sets out who to contact and what medication can be left in the house. Check for this before ringing round, since it may already have the out-of-hours number you need written on it.
If the death was unexpected
If the death was sudden, unexplained, or happened without warning – no known terminal illness, no care team involved, or you simply don’t know what happened – call 999 for police and ambulance straight away.
Police attending an unexpected death at home is standard procedure, not a sign that anything suspicious is assumed. They’re there to help establish what happened and support the coroner’s process, which is required whenever a death wasn’t already expected by a treating doctor. Don’t be alarmed by their presence – it’s routine.
Paramedics will usually confirm the death first. If there’s any chance the person could be revived, they’ll begin resuscitation – so don’t delay the call while you decide whether it’s “too late.” Once death is confirmed, officers will ask some straightforward questions about what happened, the person’s medical history, and who was present. This is a standard part of building the picture the coroner needs, not an interrogation, and family liaison support is usually available if you need it.
What happens after the call
Once a healthcare professional or the police have confirmed the death, here’s the general sequence:
- Verification of death – a doctor, paramedic, or nurse confirms that the person has died. This is a formal step separate from certifying the cause.
- A doctor completes the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) – for a death at home, this is usually the person’s own GP, who knew their medical history. Since 2024, a medical examiner (a senior doctor not involved in the person’s care) independently reviews the recorded cause of death before it’s finalised, which is a routine step and can add a day or two (gov.uk: receiving the new Medical Certificate of Cause of Death).
- You register the death once the medical examiner’s office confirms you can proceed – within 5 days in England and Wales, or 8 days in Scotland (gov.uk: after a death). Our guide to how to register a death covers what to bring, how many certificates to order, and the Northern Ireland process too.
If the death was unexpected, the process branches: the case usually goes to a coroner first, which comes before registration can happen.
When the coroner gets involved
A death is reported to a coroner rather than certified by the GP alone when:
- The cause of death is unknown
- The death was violent, unnatural, or otherwise unexplained
- The person died in prison or police custody
- No doctor saw the person in the period before death, or the treating doctor isn’t able to certify the cause with confidence
The coroner’s office will try to establish how the person died. In many cases, once the cause becomes clear, the coroner decides an inquest isn’t needed and issues the paperwork the registrar requires – you don’t need to do anything further at that point beyond waiting. If real uncertainty remains, the coroner may order a post-mortem examination. You cannot object to a coroner’s post-mortem, though they must tell you when and where it will take place (gov.uk: when a death is reported to a coroner). For a full walkthrough of this process – including what happens if there is an inquest – see our guide to what happens at an inquest.
A coroner’s involvement can add days or sometimes weeks before you’re able to register the death. If you need documentation sooner – to notify a bank or start probate, for example – you can ask the coroner for an interim death certificate, which is accepted by most banks, pension providers, and government departments while the full process continues.
What you don’t need to do straight away
In the first hour or so after a death at home, very little needs doing right away:
- You don’t need to touch or move the body. It’s fine, and normal, to sit with the person for as long as you want before anyone arrives.
- You don’t need to call a funeral director immediately. Once the death has been verified, the person can stay at home – including overnight – until the family is ready. There’s no requirement to remove the body straight away.
- You don’t need to know the funeral arrangements yet. Burial, cremation, and everything else can wait until you’ve had time to take stock. Our funeral planning checklist walks through those decisions once you’re ready, including whether a traditional service or a direct cremation suits the family better.
- You don’t need next of kin’s permission to call 999 or 111. Anyone present can and should make the call.
Common worries people have in the moment
“Am I making a fuss calling 999 if it turns out to be nothing?” No. If you’re unsure whether a death was expected, or anything about the circumstances feels unclear, calling 999 is the right call. Ambulance and police services deal with this every day.
“Will the police think something’s wrong?” Police attendance at an unexpected death is procedure, applied consistently, not a judgement on the family. It’s there to protect everyone, including you.
“Do I need to clean up or prepare anything before anyone arrives?” No. Leave things as they are for the professionals who are coming. There’s nothing you need to prepare.
“What if I don’t know who the GP is, or the surgery is closed?” Call NHS 111. They can look up the person’s registered GP or direct you to the right out-of-hours service without you needing to know the details yourself.
What comes next
Once the death has been verified and, where relevant, the coroner’s involvement has concluded, the practical next steps are registering the death and starting to arrange the funeral. Our funeral planning checklist covers registration, Tell Us Once, and choosing a funeral director in detail, and our guide to who to notify when someone dies lists the banks, utilities, and other organisations you’ll need to contact afterwards. Neither needs to happen today – take the time you need first.
Summary
- If the death was expected (GP, hospice, or palliative care involved), call the GP surgery during the day or NHS 111 out of hours. If it happens overnight, it’s fine to wait until morning.
- If the death was unexpected or unexplained, call 999 for police and ambulance – this is standard procedure, not an accusation.
- You don’t need to touch the body, call a funeral director immediately, or make any funeral decisions in the first hour.
- A GP usually completes the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death for a death at home; a medical examiner reviews it before you can register the death.
- Unexpected deaths are usually reported to a coroner, who may need to investigate before the death can be registered – ask for an interim death certificate if you need documentation sooner.
- When you’re ready, our funeral planning checklist covers what happens next.