Immediate guidance when someone dies
You do not need to understand every procedure before calling us. Tell us what has happened and where the person is, and our family team will calmly guide you through what needs to happen next.
For immediate assistance, call us at any time
01435 868844Our telephone is answered 24 hours a day by our family team.
What to do now
Select the situation that most closely matches what has happened. You can still call us immediately if you are uncertain.
Contact the doctor or appropriate community nursing service if this has not already happened. They will advise on confirming the death and the medical paperwork.
Once the relevant professional has attended and given permission, call us. We can then arrange to bring the person into our care.
Read the detailed guidanceThe hospital bereavement or patient affairs team will explain when the medical certificate and personal belongings are available.
You can contact us before the paperwork is complete. We can begin discussing the next steps and liaise with the hospital when appropriate.
Read the detailed guidanceThe care home staff will normally contact the appropriate medical professional and notify the family.
If Wealden Funeral Services has been chosen, the home or family can call us when we are authorised to attend.
Read the detailed guidanceEmergency services, the police or the coroner may need to become involved. The person who has died may initially be taken into the coroner's care.
You may still contact us for support. We can explain what is likely to happen and wait for the coroner's authority before proceeding.
Read the detailed guidanceYour first call to us
When you telephone, we will listen first and ask a few practical questions so that we can advise you correctly.
We may ask for the name of the person who has died, where they are, when the death occurred, who is present and which medical or official professionals have already been contacted.
You do not need to decide the type of funeral during this call. Immediate care and funeral arrangements are separate stages, and there will be time to discuss the funeral after the urgent steps have been taken.
Where we are able to attend, we will explain what will happen, when we expect to arrive and anything the family needs to prepare.
Death at home
If a person was receiving end-of-life care, the family may already have been told who to contact when the death occurs. This could be a GP, district nurse, hospice team or another authorised healthcare professional.
If you are uncertain who should confirm the death, telephone us and we will help you identify the appropriate next call.
Death in hospital
The ward team will notify the appropriate hospital department. The bereavement office or patient affairs team will then explain the documentation, collection of belongings and any appointment that may be necessary.
You can appoint us as your funeral director before the medical paperwork has been issued. We can begin taking details and wait for the hospital to confirm when the person can be released into our care.
If the death is referred to the coroner, the hospital will explain this. A referral does not always mean there will be a post-mortem or inquest.
There is usually no need to rush to the hospital solely to appoint a funeral director. Call us when you feel able, and we will explain the next practical steps.
Death in a care home
Care and nursing homes usually have established procedures for contacting the appropriate medical professional and the person's family or representative.
The home may ask which funeral director has been chosen. If you would like Wealden Funeral Services to act, either you or the home can call us.
We will confirm that the necessary professional has attended and that we are authorised to bring the person into our care.
You do not have to begin detailed funeral arrangements with the care home. Those conversations will take place privately with our team when you are ready.
Unexpected death
If someone dies unexpectedly, do not move them unless instructed to do so. Call the emergency services and follow their directions.
The police may attend on behalf of the coroner. Their involvement is a normal part of establishing the circumstances and does not in itself suggest that anything improper has occurred.
The coroner may arrange for the person to be taken to a designated mortuary. The family can still choose Wealden Funeral Services, but we must wait until the coroner gives authority before bringing the person into our care or confirming the funeral date.
You can call us while the coroner's enquiries are continuing. We will explain what can be arranged immediately and what must wait.
Bringing someone into our care
Our team will arrive in a suitable vehicle and introduce themselves to the family or professional responsible at the location.
We work quietly and respectfully. Before doing anything, we explain the process and give the family an opportunity to ask questions or say goodbye.
Personal items can usually remain with the person if the family wishes, although we may advise removing valuable or irreplaceable belongings for safekeeping.
Once the person is in our care, we will contact you to arrange a suitable time to begin discussing the funeral.
What you do not need to decide now
During the first call, you do not need to choose a coffin, book a venue, select music, decide between burial and cremation or know how much you want to spend.
After the immediate arrangements are complete, we will arrange a separate conversation and guide you through each funeral choice at a manageable pace.
The following days
Common questions
Available at any time
You do not need to have the paperwork, know the funeral wishes or understand the procedure before contacting us.
Answered 24 hours a day