What to Do When Someone Dies in South Shields

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 South 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 in South Tyneside is normally registered at the South Tyneside Register Office on Broughton Road, by appointment, usually within five days. The registrar will tell you what to bring and issue the documents you need, including the death certificate (it is worth asking for several certified copies, 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 South Tyneside Council's registration 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. South Shields is well served by independent, family-run firms, including:

• Tynedale Family Funeral Directors on Stanhope Road, run by the Cook family since 1996
• Your Choice Funerals on Sunderland Road
• Richard Dalton Funerals, with premises at Whiteleas Way and Horsley Hill Square
• John Duckworth Funeral Directors, also on Sunderland Road

There are also branches of the national Co-op Funeralcare on Westoe Road and Johnson Family Funeral Directors, part of the Dignity group, in the town.

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 South Shields, Marions Florists on West Avenue, The Flower Boutique at Station Approach and Westoe Florist on Imeary Street all 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. Local firms include Eden Memorials on Maxwell Street, Harbour Memorials on Beach Road, and Abbey Memorials in nearby Jarrow.

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. South Shields firms with wills and probate teams include Marshall Hall Levy, David Gray Solicitors, Hannays Solicitors and PGS Law.

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 South Shields hub brings together local funeral directors, florists, memorial masons, wills-and-probate solicitors and support services, each with a link straight through.