After Funeral Guidance

After Funeral Guidance

Registering a Death

It is a legal requirement in Ireland that every death that takes place in the State must be recorded and registered. Records of deaths in Ireland are held in the General Register Office, which is the central civil repository for records relating to Births, Marriages and Deaths in Ireland. You can apply for a copy of a death certificate in any Registrar of Births, Marriages and Death or to the General Register Office.

A death can be registered in the office of any Registrar of Births, Marriages and Death, irrespective of where the death occurs. The staff of the hospital (if the death occurred in a hospital) or of your local health centre, will be able to tell you where you can register the death.

Deaths must be registered as soon as possible after the death and no later than 3 months. It is usually registered by the next of kin. Alternatively, it may be registered by a person who was present during the death or final illness of the deceased, or has knowledge of the required particulars. Further information on who can register the death is available from the General Register Office.

death-certificate

What do I need to register the death?

In order to register a death, a Qualified Informant must bring to the Registrar’s Office a copy of the Death Notification Form (DNF). Please note that HSE documents in relation to death registration refer to their own DNF Form incorrectly as a Death Registration Form (DRF) (go figure). In addition, the Informant must provide certain information required for registration.
The following are required to register a death:
  • Forename of the deceased
  • Surname of the deceased
  • Former residence of the deceased
  • Date of birth of the deceased
  • Age of the deceased at last birthday
  • PPSN
  • Date of death
  • Place where the death occurred
  • DNF
  • Details of Medical Practitioner
  • Sex of the deceased
  • Marital Status of the deceased
  • Qualification and residence of Informant.
For more information, please click here;

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/death/after_a_death/death_cert.html

Grant Assistance:

Department-of-Social-Protection-Logo (1)

After bereavement, it may be of interest to you to know that there might be financial supports and certain grants & payments available to you. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) provides certain one-off payments to help out families during this difficult time. Your local DEASP’s representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) deals with some of these payments.

Exceptional Needs Payments for Funeral Expenses (from €850)

These payments are paid under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. You may be eligible for an Exceptional Needs Payment to help you with the cost of a funeral if your income is low. Each case is decided on its merits by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) at your local office.

Occupational Injury Benefit Scheme – Special Funeral Grant

To be eligible for this grant, the death must have resulted from:
  • an accident at work
  • an accident while travelling directly to or from work
  • an occupational disease

For more information, follow the link below:

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/f31691-special-funeral-grant-under-the-occupational-injuries-benefit-scheme/
The following are required to register a death: To be eligible for this grant, the death must have resulted from:
  • an accident at work
  • an accident while travelling directly to or from work
  • an occupational disease
For more information, follow the link below:

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/f31691-special-funeral-grant-under-the-occupational-injuries-benefit-scheme/

Widowed Parent Grant (€8000)

This grant is available where a death occurs of a parent with dependent children (under 18 or over if in full-time education). The Grant is paid when the widowed parent applies for the widow/widower pension.

For more information click here;

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b54fee-operational-guidelines-widowed-or-surviving-civil-partner-grant/

Credit Union - Death Benefit Insurance (from €1270)

credit union

Death Benefit Insurance (DBI) is a unique service offered by some credit unions to help pay for end of life expenses. It pays a fixed lump sum in the event of death and where death is as a result of an accident, the lump sum can be doubled. There are some terms and conditions to meet for inclusion and you should ask your credit union about these and the amount of DBI lump sum currently payable. You should also check with your credit union how the premium is paid. Further details may be obtained from your local Credit Union.

Checklist of things to do following bereavement - People/Organisations to Contact

Not all of the points on this list will apply to your particular situation, but many will. If the deceased left specific instructions regarding preferences for funeral and burial arrangements, with a list of people to be notified, your job is much easier. If not, you will need to consult other family members and look for addresses or phonebooks that can help you with your task.

People/Organisations to Notify
  • Contact next of kin, immediate and extended family members
  • Contact a Funeral Director to arrange a funeral
  • Contact close friends of the deceased and friends of the immediate family
  • Notify the deceased’s employer if an employee or the school/college if in education
  • Contact a priest or Minister of the deceased’s  religion
  • Notify the deceased’s solicitor if there is one
  • Landlord or local authority if the deceased lived in a rented property
  • Social groups the deceased belonged to
  • Contact the Local Health Office of the deceased or voluntary organisation if they were getting community care health services
  • Contact the doctor/hospital if the deceased was awaiting any appointments
  • Contact travel agencies, hotels, airlines etc.
You may need to cancel some, or all, of the following: 
  • standing orders 
  • newspapers & other journal subscriptions 
  • milk deliveries 
  • coal deliveries 
  • telephone and broadband internet connection 
  • mobile phone 
  • bin collection 
  • rent 
  • TV & radio licence 
  • postal services (or have them re-directed)