What to Do When Someone Dies | Evergreen Funeral Services

What to do When Someone Passes Away

The first steps which you will need to take following the death of a loved one will depend on how and where they have passed away.

At Home

When someone dies at home, a doctor will need to certify the death. Sometimes this will be the person’s registered GP; sometimes it will be an on-call doctor. When you are ready, you can call us and we will bring the person who has passed away into our care. If the death was expected, the GP will provide you with a medical certificate showing the cause of death. You will need this certificate to register the death.

In Hospital or Hospice

If the person has died in a hospital or a hospice, you will likely liaise with the bereavement team there who will offer practical and emotional support. The person who has died will usually be kept in the mortuary at the hospital or hospice until a funeral director is appointed or alternative arrangements are made. If you would like us to look after your loved one, we can make the necessary arrangements to bring them into our care.

Abroad

If somebody dies abroad then the chances are the death was unexpected. The situation will be no doubt very distressing, possibly with family members back home and language barriers also making things even more difficult. Your first steps need to be to do your research and the government’s website can offer a useful starting point for what to do next- http://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/death-abroad

You will need to register the death with the local authority in the country of which the death took place. You should seek advice from the British embassy or consulate in the country in question and you may even be able to register the death with the UK authorities from the country in question. There can be quite a lot of processes you have to follow before you are able to bring your loved one home, particularly if the death was unnatural and a coroner is involved so you should be prepared for this.

‘Repatriation’ is the term often used when referring to bringing someone home from another country and in most cases travel insurance should cover the cost of this. If your loved one does not have travel insurance or it does not cover the full cost of repatriation, then the family will normally be expected to cover the costs. We work alongside various companies who offer a repatriation and transportation service to bring your loved one home so if you need any further advice please give us a call.

If Someone Dies Unexpectedly

If someone dies unexpectedly or if they haven’t been seen by their GP in the last 14 days, their death will be reported to the coroner. The coroner may call for a post-mortem or inquest. This process can take some time however please speak to us and we will be able to liaise with the coroner and make provisional arrangements for the funeral.

There are a number of useful websites with information regarding what to do after a death including:
www.gov.uk/after-a-death

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/what-to-do-after-a-death/

Registering a Death

Before any funeral can take place the death will need to be registered. You will need to make an appointment at your local register office to register the death usually within five days. You will need to take with you the certificate which was signed by a doctor and shows the cause of death.

Further information regarding registering a death can be found on the relevant councils’ website:

www.hull.gov.uk/visitor/births-and-deaths/death-registration

www2.eastriding.gov.uk/living/deaths/registration/

When the death has been registered you will be issued with a certificate for burial or cremation (often referred to the ‘green’) and a death certificate. You will need the ‘green’ certificate to give to your chosen funeral director in order to make arrangements for the funeral.

Contact Us For Guidance

Based on Holderness Road in Hull, Evergreen Funeral Services can help you guide you through the process following the death of a loved one. Remember you can call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for support and guidance.

We recognise that each and every one of our clients has different needs. If for any reason you would prefer a home visit to make funeral arrangements, we can offer this at no extra charge. Please do not hesitate to contact us to request a visit.

Or if you would prefer, please fill in the contact form further down this page and we will get back to you.

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Elle Carver

visited my nana and they was lovely and very emotionally friendly. wasn’t rushed environment was lovely. Steve and Gary i think they were called. wouldn’t want my nana anywhere else.
Thankyou

sarah steward

Steve provided an exceptional level of care and professionalism during what was an incredibly difficult time. From the very first contact, he was compassionate, patient, and understanding, taking the time to explain every step of the process without ever making things feel overwhelming.
His attention to detail was outstanding. Every aspect of the service was handled smoothly and with dignity, ensuring that nothing was overlooked. They listened carefully to our family’s wishes and went above and beyond to create a service that felt personal and meaningful, truly reflecting the life of our beautiful mam.
Communication was clear and consistent throughout, which brought a great deal of reassurance. They were always available to answer questions and offered gentle guidance when decisions felt difficult.
On the day of the funeral, everything ran seamlessly. The team conducted themselves with quiet professionalism and respect, helping to create a calm and supportive atmosphere for everyone attending.
Overall, their kindness, organisation, and genuine empathy made a very hard experience much more manageable. I would highly recommend their services to anyone in need of thoughtful and reliable funeral care. Thank you Steve and Gary you really are amazing x

Angie Johnson

Thank you Steve and staff at this amazing place.Evergreen.You made the worst time of our lives so much bearable after losing our beloved Sean johnson.Steve,your a true professional who reads the room and knows exactly the right things to say bringing a touch of light hearted much needed words.The whole experience was perfect from start to finish.From the bottom of our hearts,keep being you.Highly recommend these beautiful people for taking care of him.Big shout out to celebrant Mike Anderson too who has also travelled this road with us and gave the best service of seans celebration of life.Once again.THANK YOU.Angie johnson 💙💙💙💙xxxx

Stacey Barker

If there was a million stars to give Steve and his team I would. They made an unbearable situation bearable. They have helped us every step of the way for my brother Sean Johno's final journey, looked after him, spoke to him and treat him with the upmost respect and for that myself and my family will be forever greatful. Thankyou Steve and team. Stacey Johno

HullCity1904

Used evergreens for the recent loss off my partners brother ben, absolutely brilliant from start to finish , took a massive weight off all of our shoulders ,gary and steve both top guys, went above and beyond for us , cant thank them enough. Would recommend their services fully to anyone

Thanks guys
Chris Penrose (the wright family)

Adgy

great service, made us all feel very warm and welcome on such a sad day and has still been so nice with the family after the service, definitely recommend

Sophie Santos

Absolutely amazing, we used Evergreen Funeral Services when my little sister sadly passed away, we had been to see her a few times and can honestly say, wow... they took the best care of her... from the day I called and up until right her funeral, we had non stop support from Steve.

The circumstances are absolutely awful but Evergreens make it that touch easier, guiding you along the way!

Thank you Steve and team!

Ellies big sister, Sophie x

Bex

I would like to give nothing but respect to evergreen funeral services, they went above and beyond in help me and my family in our time of need.. my brother took his own life and a long way from home, they helped bring him back and in tragic circumstances. They took the burden off us as a family, from start to finish I couldn't recommend Steve and Gary enough. Thanks from all of us of making Ben's final fairwell special

Julie

We would like to say a massive thank you to all at Evergreen you took our Daughter in law Joanne and family under your wing. Looked after John like he was one of you own. Nothing was to much trouble you went out of your way above and beyond to make it a beautiful service. Thank you so much Julie & David

Lynn Brattan

Thank you so much Gary for looking after Mary and helping us navigate a difficult time. The care and kindness shown and the impeccable service nothing was too much trouble even when we had to move funeral back a week. Also recommending Lelley Fields for service everyone commented on how beautiful and serene the surroundings were Thank you from us all.

Ann Connor

Gary and Steve at Evergreen Funeral Services were so kind and helpful when dealing with the funeral for my brother. They made a very stressful situation so much easier and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a compassionate and efficient service.

Ian Dervey

Gary and his team at Evergreen were excellent and helped us in our time of need in every way. From our first phone call with Gary, he was kind and compassionate and listened to what we wanted for our son’s funeral. He guided me and my wife through every step of the way, never once did we feel pressured to make a decision until we were ready.
The funeral was a beautiful service and everyone complemented how everything went so professionally on the day, with special thanks to Michael, the allocated Celebrant, who reminded us that it was a celebration of our son's life.
We definitely recommend Evergreen to anyone who is going through a sad loss of a loved one and who needs a kind and helpful team to help guide and support them through it all.
Thank you