How Can Someone Check If A Friend Has Definitely Died Or Not?

[Smowball]

A friend has messaged me to say do I know how she can check if an old friend of hers has died or not. She went to call on him  but no reply, and a neighbour came out to say he'd been recently hospitalised, but then they were told that he'd died, by his ex who has suddenly appeared and moved into his house. Neighbours haven't seen anything of a funeral, nothing,just that one min he was there, the nxt he was in hospital and now allegedly has died! 
So where can she check that he has or not. She has his name and address, and that's it, she doesn't know his exact d.o.b.

[sandyRoe]

Would the Register of births, deaths, and marriages, be able to help?

[Buenchico]

The local Register Office might be able to assist:
https://www.gov.uk/register-offices

[Smowball]

Hi guys, I'd thought of that but didn't know just how much info she would need about him. She definitely doesn't know when he was born. 

[vulcan42]

I understand a local newspaper is allowed to give out obituary information.

[Buenchico]

^^^ Only a very tiny percentage of deaths or funeral arrangements (possibly lower than 1%?) are reported in newspapers these days though.

A local Register Office should easily be able to track down the recent registration of a death, solely from a name and address.

[Buenchico]

>>> Neighbours haven't seen anything of a funeral . . .

That's not necessarily surprising.  'Direct cremations', where no funeral service takes place at all (either at the crematorium or elsewhere) are becoming increasingly popular, with one in five deaths now resulting in such cremations.
https://www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare/funeral-services/direct-cremation

[Smowball]

Ahh that's great Chris - and do you know if they are allowed to release that information to anyone at all, or do you have to fit certain criteria?

[Barmaid]

She could try doing a probate search, but it depends on how recent is recent. http://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/

Also, worth checking on the local coroner's website since if death was unexpected there may have been an inquest opened.

[Hazlinny]

She could check websites of local undertakers ...  some indicate
recent deaths.  Co-op e.g.

[Smowball]

Morning guys - he is alleged to have died in March x

[barry1010]

She can order a copy of the death certificate online (it's a public record so anyone can get one).

If she knows his name, address and date of death it will be straightforward.  She should set the search from 1st January or the last time she knew he was alive.  She will have to pay.

[barry1010]

https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate

[Smowball]

So the easiest and best way of trying to check if someone has died or not is look up local registry office details, if she knows the surname etc, or try looking at probate records??

barry, I'm not sure she knows the exact date -that's the  point, it's all being alleged that he died, but I will ask. So if she is told a set date, and no record comes up them I'm assuming he isn't dead! 

[barry1010]

She doesn't need to know the exact date.  She can set the search perimeters from the time she last had contact with him. 

[Barmaid]

If he died in March I doubt very much probate will have been issued yet.  It is taking up to 16 weeks to get a grant at present.

The online indices of BMDs are 6 months old so for a death that occurred in March, you will need to go to the local register office.

A good place to start is google.  

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe the hospital can say what happened while they were there.

[barry1010]

The hospital won't discuss it

[DDIL]

Has she done a google search - as daft as it sounds the simpliest thing will sometimes get results