If the person died in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you should register their death in that country.
If the person died abroad, or on a foreign ship or plane, you should register their death in line with the laws of that country, and get a death certificate.
If the person who died was a British national, you may also register the death with the British Consulate in certain countries. If the death took place on a British-registered ship or plane, the death will be registered with the relevant authority in the UK (Registrar General for Shipping and Seamen, or the Civil Aviation Authority).
You will be able to get the death certificate from the British Consulate who registered the death or, for deaths on ships and planes, from the Register Office.
Bringing a body back to England or Wales
You may be able to bring the body back to England or Wales. Most funeral directors should be able to give you advice on how to go about this and what it is likely to cost.
To bring a body back to England or Wales, you’ll need the death certificate from the place the person died, or formal permission from the relevant authority in the country where the person died.
Arranging a cremation
If a person died abroad and you have brought their body back to England or Wales to arrange a cremation, you will need a cremation order from the local coroner. You can get their details from any local funeral director.
In England or Wales, if you have either of the above forms you will not need the 2 forms signed by doctors. For deaths in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, there are forms which you can use for a cremation.
If the person did not die from natural causes, the coroner will start an investigation into their death. In these cases the coroner will issue a form for cremation or burial when the body is no longer needed for the investigation.