What to Do When Someone Dies in Tynemouth

Losing someone is one of the hardest things any of us go through, and it can be hard to know what to do first. There is no right way to grieve and no need to rush. This is a plain, practical guide to the steps that usually follow a death in Tynemouth and North Shields, and to the local people and services who can help. Take it at your own pace, and lean on family, friends and the support services listed at the end.

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 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 death has been formally confirmed, you can contact a funeral director whenever you feel ready — they can bring the person into their care at any hour, and there is no obligation to arrange everything at once. Everything else below can wait a little.

Registering the death

A death that occurs in North Tyneside — which includes Tynemouth and North Shields — is registered at the North Tyneside Register Office at Maritime Chambers on Howard Street in North Shields, by appointment, usually within five days. A death is registered in the district where the person died, so if a local resident dies elsewhere it may need registering in that district instead.

Call 0191 643 6164 to book. There is no fee to register, but certified copies of the death certificate cost £12.50 each — it is worth asking for several, as banks, insurers and the probate process often each need one.

While you are there, ask about the government's free Tell Us Once service, which lets you report a death to most government departments and the local council in a single step. For the current details and to book, see North Tyneside Council's births, deaths and marriages pages and GOV.UK.

Arranging the funeral

Choosing a funeral director is a personal decision, and it is always fine to phone more than one to compare what they offer and to ask for a written estimate. Tynemouth and North Shields are well served, including:

• R Johnson Funeral Directors on Howard Street, a family firm caring for the community for over 60 years
• Chris Sample Funerals on Saville Street, an independent family firm
• E Turnbull & Son on Albion Road, one of the region's oldest funeral directors, established in 1790
• R.J. Ryland Funeral Services in Cullercoats, family-owned since 1993
• Co-op Funeralcare on Billy Mill Avenue, part of the national Co-op group

A good funeral director will talk you through burial or cremation, the choice of service, and the costs involved, at your pace. If money is a worry, ask them early about a simple funeral and about the government's Funeral Expenses Payment, which may help if you receive certain benefits.

Funeral flowers

Local florists can prepare wreaths, sprays and sympathy tributes, and will work with your funeral director on timings and delivery. In the area, Busy Lizzies Flowers and Jules Fleur both make funeral tributes to order.

Headstones and memorials

There is no hurry to arrange a memorial — many families wait several months, particularly for a new grave, so the ground can settle. When you are ready, a memorial mason will guide you on styles, materials and cemetery regulations, and can also clean, restore or add an inscription to an existing memorial. In North Shields, Henderson Memorials on Saville Street is a family-run, BRAMM-accredited monumental mason that has been part of the community for over 75 years.

Sorting out the estate

In the weeks that follow, someone will usually need to deal with the person's estate — their money, property and belongings — and, where there is a will, carry out their wishes. This often involves probate. A local solicitor can take as much or as little of this on as you would like. Firms in the area with wills and probate teams include BHP Law, Hadaway & Hadaway and Kidd Spoor Taylor.

Support for you

Grief can arrive in waves, and it is just as important to look after yourself. You do not have to cope alone — these organisations offer free, confidential support:

• Cruse Bereavement Support — the UK's leading bereavement charity, with a free helpline and online resources.
• Samaritans — call 116 123, free, 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.

Your GP can also help, and can put you in touch with local counselling. Be gentle with yourself; there is no timetable for grief.

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Our Bereavement & Funerals in Tynemouth hub brings together local funeral directors, florists, memorial masons, wills-and-probate solicitors and support services, each with a link straight through.