Date on Death Certificate

I really wasn't sure where to post this, but felt it worth mentioning for the benefit of anyone who might not know.

Late on 31st July, my beloved paternal grandmother passed away (cancer of the womb), just a few days before what would have been her 97th birthday. At her funeral, I'd noticed that the date of death on the Order of Service was incorrect. Instead of 31st July, it was 1st August. I wasn't sure if the funeral directors had got it wrong when printing, or whether my aunty in a grief-stricken state had supplied the wrong information. Either way, it irritated me.

Some days after the funeral, I decided to mention it to my mother. She explained that because it was late at night when my grandmother had died, and not until after midnight when a doctor could certify the death, that was why the date was 1st August and not 31st July. I was still incensed, as although one was probably only talking of a matter of hours between when my grandmother died and the doctor certifying her death, stating that she had died on 1st August was a great big whopping lie as far as I was concerned.

Legally though, the doctor had done nothing wrong. Just thought I'd mention this in case anyone finds themselves in a similar situation.

  • I too had this happen with my mother. She died at about 11:40. I got the phone call at 11:45. As far as I was concerned, she passed away on the 17th of May. But the death certificate said the 18th. It's annoying because I have to tell officals that she died on the 18th, just for consistancy, but in my head and heart she passed away on the 17th. 

    I was also worried that it would affect things legally, because when I first started filling out forms I was putting the 17th! Until the death certificate arrived, at which point I started putting the 18th. 

  • This is happening to us now and I'm angry as the ONLY REASON my dates date is the 7th is because the GP was six hours late! How can that be right or legal? It's a lie surely..yes it's the date his death was VERIFIED but not the date his life ended!

  • Imnjustnhonna keep putting 6th I'm so angry

  • This must be so annoying.

    I've just checked and the second line of a UK death certificate includes "Death as stated to me" - the time of the GP's arrival is irrelevant, they just need to put down the date they were told by the witnesses - usually family, nursing or care staff. 

  • Oh thanks for that info..registering death on Thursday so I will let you know the outcome!

    Thankyou!

  • Something that is VERY important to check is that the GP or hospital doctor has said that the patient had been seen by a doctor within the last 14 days. We didn't open & check the information from the hospital where mum died & we took it along to register her death. The registrar said there was a problem - the young hospital doctor (not on mum's cancer ward) had filled this part in wrong. He thought it meant HE had/hadn't seen her in the preceding 14 days whereas it means ANY doctor. This meant mum's death would have to go to the coroner for inquest unless the hospital issued another certificate. Fortunately the coroner's assistant rang the hospital & went mad, arranging for another certificate to be done immediately. We had to trail to the hospital to get it & then make another appointment with the registrar to register mum's death. Not something you need at a time like that & with your elderly dad insisting on doing it all with you!

  • I dnt understand my dads died date on his headstone is 28 April yet when I looked it up on heritage it says August?