Guide
What to do in the first 24 hours
If someone close to you has just died, we are so sorry. This page lays out what needs to happen first, in order. Most of it is not urgent. You can stop reading at any point and come back later.
· About a 6 minute read
On this page
The very first step
There is nothing you need to do in the first minutes. Sit with the person if you want to. Call a friend or relative to be with you if you can. When you are ready, the first practical step depends on where the person died.
If the person died at home
If the death was expected (for example, the person was receiving end-of-life care), call the GP surgery during the day, or NHS 24 on 111 at night. A doctor or nurse will come to confirm the death. There is no need to call 999.
If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 999. The ambulance service and police will attend. This is routine and does not mean anyone has done anything wrong.
Once a doctor or nurse has confirmed the death, you can contact a funeral director whenever you feel ready. They will come to bring the person into their care, at any hour. You do not have to be in a hurry.
If the person died in hospital or a care home
The staff will look after the immediate steps and will keep the person in their care until a funeral director collects them. The hospital bereavement office, or the care home manager, will guide you on what happens next and when documents will be ready. They will usually ask which funeral director you intend to use, but you can tell them later.
Registering the death in Scotland
In Scotland, a death must be registered within eight days. You can register at any registration office; it does not have to be the one nearest where the person died. In Glasgow, appointments are made through Glasgow City Council. It is worth phoning ahead.
The medical certificate of cause of death is now sent electronically by the doctor to the registrar, so in most cases you will not need to collect a paper form first. When you register, ask for several copies of the death certificate. Banks, pension providers and solicitors each want to see one. There is a small fee per copy.
Contacting a funeral director
You can contact a funeral director as soon as the death has been confirmed, but there is no deadline. Many families take a day or two. When you do call, you are not committing to anything by asking them to bring the person into their care.
Before you choose, it is worth comparing a few. Since 2021, every funeral director must publish a standard price list, so you can look at what each one charges for the same kind of funeral without phoning around.
Compare funeral directors in Glasgow
What can wait
These things matter, but none of them need doing today:
- Choosing the type of funeral, the date, and any readings or music
- Telling wider friends, colleagues and organisations
- Looking for a will, and contacting a solicitor about the estate
- Cancelling subscriptions, utilities and memberships
- Deciding about flowers, donations, notices and catering
It can help to keep a single notebook, or a note on your phone, of who you have contacted and what they have asked for.
Where to find support
Grief is exhausting, and the admin sits on top of it. If you are struggling, these organisations offer free, confidential support:
- Cruse Bereavement Support Scotland: helpline and local services
- Samaritans: 116 123, any time, day or night
- Your GP, who can refer you to counselling if you would like it
- Marie Curie and local hospices, for bereavement support for families they have worked with
This guide is general information for Scotland and is not legal advice. Details can change. If anything is unclear, the registrar and your funeral director can both help.