What to Do When Someone Dies in North Shields

Losing someone is one of the hardest things any of us go through, and in the first hours and days it can be hard to know what needs doing. This is a calm, practical guide to the steps after a death in North Shields, from the first phone call to registering the death and arranging a funeral, with local, trusted help along the way. There is no rush, and you do not have to do any of it alone.

In the first few days

What happens first depends on where the person died.

• At home or somewhere else in the community. Call the person's GP surgery, or, out of hours, NHS 111. A doctor confirms the death and, in time, arranges the medical paperwork needed before you can register it. If a death is sudden, unexpected, or the emergency services are involved, ring 999.
• In hospital or a care home. The staff there will guide you through the immediate steps and let you know when the paperwork is ready and where to collect it.

Once a doctor has issued the medical certificate, you can register the death. There is no need to choose a funeral director before this, though many families find it helps to make an early call so someone can bring the person into their care.

Registering the death

A death that happens anywhere in North Tyneside is registered at the North Tyneside Register Office, in Maritime Chambers at 1 Howard Street in North Shields town centre. It is done by appointment, which you book by telephone or email, and should be done within five days of being told you can.

The registrar issues the death certificate. It is worth asking for several certified copies at the time, as banks, pension providers and others will each want to see one. The registrar will also give you a Tell Us Once reference, a free service that lets you notify government departments, from HMRC to the DVLA and the pensions service, in a single step.

Arranging the funeral

North Shields has a good choice of funeral directors, and it is always fine to contact more than one and ask for a written, itemised estimate before you decide.

• E Turnbull & Son on Albion Road, an independent, family-owned firm whose roots on the Fish Quay go back to 1790.
• Chris Sample Funerals on Saville Street, an independent, family-run service with a 24-hour line.
• Daren Persson Funeral Services on Walton Avenue, near Preston Cemetery, now part of the Funeral Partners group.
• Co-op Funeralcare on Billy Mill Avenue, the local branch of the national network, with fixed, published pricing.

A funeral director will talk you through burial or cremation, help with the paperwork, and can arrange as much or as little as you wish. If you would like a non-religious, personal ceremony, Rachael Meyer, a Humanists UK accredited celebrant based in North Shields, leads funerals across the area, including at Tynemouth Crematorium.

Funeral flowers

Local florists who arrange funeral tributes, wreaths and sympathy flowers include Pansy's Florist on Nile Street in the town centre and Andreas Florists on Billy Mill Avenue, both long-established and independent.

Headstones and memorials

When you are ready, a memorial mason can make and fit a headstone or add an inscription to an existing one. Henderson Memorials is an independent mason on Walton Avenue, directly beside Preston Cemetery, the main North Tyneside cemetery. There is no hurry with a memorial; many families wait several months for the ground to settle before a stone is fitted.

Sorting out the estate

Dealing with someone's affairs, from probate to closing accounts, can feel daunting. A local solicitor can help you understand whether probate is needed and take on as much of the administration as you want. Hadaway & Hadaway on Howard Street is a long-established town-centre firm that handles wills and probate.

Support for you

Grief has no timetable, and support is there whenever you need it, however long ago the death was.

• Cruse Bereavement Support, the UK's leading bereavement charity, with a free helpline and online resources.
• Samaritans, call 116 123, free, at any time of day or night, if you are struggling to cope.
• Marie Curie, a free support line for anyone affected by death, dying and bereavement.

Closer to home, North Tyneside Council Bereavement Services, based at the Preston Cemetery office, can help with cemetery and crematorium arrangements, and Age UK North Tyneside runs free, locally-based bereavement group sessions. Your GP can also arrange counselling. Take your time, and lean on the people around you.