The Waswahili Community Trust UK (Wadhamini wa Jumuiya ya Waswahili)

What To Do When Someone Dies

Procedures for Funeral Arrangements

The following persons should be contacted immediately when death has taken place in the family

1. Contact the family doctor
2. Inform the local undertker / funral directors
3. Inform Imam of the local mosque (for ghusl, and Janazah prayer)
4. Inform close relatives

When death occurs at home and cause of death Known

1. Contac family member immediately. provided the doctor attended the dead person during the last ilness and can certify the cause of death. He will issue a Medical Certificate free of charge, which states the cause of death.
2. Inform the local undertaker that a Medical Certifiacte has been issued. The undertaker will take all the arrangements with the cemetryfor burial He will advise the time and place of burial. He will arrange for the body to be taken for the washing.
3. A close relative preferably, a son or brother should take the Medical Certificateto the Registrar of Births and DeathsOof the district or borough where the death took place for Registration. The registrar is normally based in the Civic Offices of the Town Hall.

He should have with him the following information:

1. The deceased persons NHS medical card (if available)
2. The date and place of death
3. The deceased persons usual addrress
4. The decease date of birth, town and country of birth
5. Occupation
6. Date of beath of the widow or widower

The Registrar will issue tow free certificates

A.) Certificate of Disposal

(Green Certificate) should be given to to the undertaker as an authorisation for burial.

B.) Certificate of Registration of Death

This is for social security purposes and for probate etc. Take it to the local social securty office if you wish to claim death grant or widows benefits. One has to wait for this certificate to be issued otherwise it will be posted to your address.

During public holidays or after office hours the Certificate of Disposalcan be obtained from the Registrar of Death from his home. This service is only available in the event of emergency i.e. if burial needs to take tke place and offices are closed.

His/Her telephone number can be obtained from the Town Hall / Civic Offices.

Durin g the winter months the latest time for burial is 3.00 p.m,and during the summer months the the latest time time for burial is 4.00 p.m

When Death Occurs At Home - Cause of Death Is Unknown

1. Where the doctor is unable to certify the cause of death he will report the death to the police who in turn will inform the CORONER (usually a doctor or lawyer resposnsible for investigating certain deaths.)

   The matter will be referred to the CORONER if death occurs in any following circumstances

   1. If the deceased person was not attended by a doctor during his last illness or within 14 days of death or
   2. If the case of death is uncertian or
   3. If death is sudden, violent or caused by an accident or
   4. If death was caused by in dustrial desease.

   1. The CORONER will probably arrange for a post-mortem examination of the body. The consent of the relatives is not needed for this but they can choose a doctor to b e present. The main puupose for cacarrying out the post-mortem is to ascertain the cause of death.

   2. The CORONER'S office will issue a PINK form if the post-mortem shows that death was due to natural causes. You must take the PINK notice to the Registrar of Deaths to obtain a Certificate of Registration of Death.

   3. The rest of the procedures are exactly the same for burial arrangements (as described earlier in this page

   4. If the post-mortem examination, the cause of death is uncertain or was due to an accident, violence, or industrial disease then an inquest will be held.

   An Inquest is an inquiry in to the medical cause and circumstances of the death. It is held in public and sometimes with a jury. It is up to CORONER how to organise the inquiry in a way to best serve.

   Relatives can attend and ask questions to witnesses with the CORONER'S permission, or be represented by a lawyer.

   It may be imprtant to have a lawyer to represent you if death was caused by a road accident or an accident at work, which could lead to a claim for compensation. But you cannot get legal aid for this. After the inquest the CORONER will give free of charge an orderfor burial or will send a certificateto the Registrar stating the cause of death.

   Death occurs in Hospital and Cause of Death Known

   1. If the doctor is aware of the cause of death then he will issue a medical certificate so that the disposalcertificatecan be obtained from the registrar of Deaths.

   The doctor may want to carry out a post-mortem but he has to obtain the permission of the nearest relative. If the post-mortem is required purely for the satisfaction of the doctor or the hospital then the permission is not normally given by the relative, in which case procedures outlined on burial arrangements should be followed as explained in this page.

   Normally they would transfer the body from the ward to the hospital mortuary. But if arrangements are made swiftly then the body can be be collected by the undertaker from the ward and taken to the Mosque Mortuary.

   It is important to bear in mind that the death must be registered in the district or borough of the hospital where the death takes place.

   Once the doctor has issued the

   The undertaker will transport the body from the hospital to the place of washing. If burial is to take place the nest day, molst undertkers do have facilities to keep the body overnight in the mortuary. At present a number of mosques throughout the country do have facilities for a mortuary. (See degtails on Section 10 Cemeteries in London.)

   Death Occurs In Hospital Cause of Death Unknown

   Where the doctor is unable to certify the cause of death he will report to the CORONER. The same procedures as aoutlined above will apply see(death occurs at home - cause of death unknown.)

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