Burch Funerals, North and West London Funeral Directors and Undertakers T: 020 89650344

First Steps

Contacting your Funeral Director

As your Funeral Director, we are here to provide you with a personal service and the advice and support to make organising your loved one’s funeral at this difficult time, as stress free and as easy as possible.

With three regional offices covering the majority of London, we invite you to visit your local office to sit down with one of our advisers and discuss your requirements. If preferred we are more than happy to visit you at your home if this is where you would be most comfortable.

To find your closest local office please visit our contact page which outlines our locations, the office contact numbers and opening hours.

What information do I need to arrange a funeral?

When making the arrangements for a funeral, the Funeral Director needs certain pieces of information. These details include

  • the deceased’s full name
  • full address
  • date of birth
  • marital status
  • occupation
  • date and place of death
  • the certificate issued by the registrar (further information below)
  • the hospital removal slip
  • whether a pacemaker has been fitted

Our staff are on hand to provide a caring service and outline all the options available, so that you can style your loved one’s funeral to your requirements.

To assure that you create an appropriate tribute for your loved one, you will be free to make any changes you wish to the funeral at any stage before the service takes place. When the arrangements have been made, we will provide written confirmation of the funeral, a written quotation of our charges and a written estimate of any third party costs.

How do I register a death?

It is a legal requirement for all deaths to be registered at the local registrar. However, this can be dealt with at a different register by special arrangement. We will provide you with the address of the relevant office of the registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages along with its opening times.

In normal circumstances the certificate of Cause of Death, should be taken to the office of Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages, this will have been issued by a GP or a hospital doctor. The following can register the death:

  • Any relative of the deceased.
  • Any person present at the death.
  • The occupier of the house where the death occurred.
  • The person arranging the funeral, but not the funeral director.

Registering a death involves a simple interview at the Register Office with the registrar, who will need to know:

  • The date and place of birth and death.
  • The full name of the deceased.
  • The home address of the deceased.
  • The occupation (if any) of the deceased.
  • If the deceased is female and married, her maiden name and her husband’s full name and his occupation.

The registrar will then issue a green certificate, which you should give to us as soon as possible. You will also be given a white certificate, which should be completed and sent to the Department of Works and Pensions, local to where the death occurred. Copies of the Entry of Death (often known as Death Certificate) may be bought from the Registrar and will be needed for insurance purposes, probate, bank accounts, private pension schemes, National Savings Certificates and Premium Bonds.