What to Do When Someone Dies at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

If someone dies at home and the death was expected, such as under hospice care, call the hospice team first. If the death was sudden or unexpected, call 911. After that there is usually no need to rush: you can spend time with the person, and you have time to choose a funeral home. The steps below cover both situations, then the paperwork and a short section for the UK.

What should you do first if the death was expected?

If the person was in hospice, call the hospice number you were given. Medicare says a hospice nurse and doctor are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so it is fine to call in the middle of the night. The nurse will usually come to the home, confirm the death and explain what happens next, including how to contact the funeral home.

If the person was ill but not in hospice, call their doctor or the number on their care plan, and ask what to do. Do not worry if you need a few minutes before making any call.

Keep any do-not-resuscitate (DNR) paperwork where responders can see it. MedlinePlus says a provider can tell you how to get a wallet card, bracelet or other DNR documents for home, so emergency medical personnel can understand the person's DNR status. Our guide to DNR orders explains what the forms mean.

What should you do first if the death was sudden?

Call 911. Tell the dispatcher the person is not breathing or has died and give the address. Follow the dispatcher's instructions, and show responders any DNR paperwork when they arrive.

Responders will assess the person. Because the death was unexpected, they may involve the coroner or medical examiner. The CDC's handbook says deaths that typically require investigation include those from violence or unusual circumstances, deaths that happen suddenly and without warning, deaths where the person was not being treated by a doctor, and unattended deaths.

Until responders say otherwise, avoid moving the person or tidying the room. That is routine and does not mean anyone is under suspicion. Our guide to coroner investigations explains what happens next and how long it can take.

Who confirms the death?

A death must be confirmed by someone authorized under state law before the body can be released to a funeral home. Who that is varies by state. It is often a doctor or a nurse, and for hospice patients the hospice nurse usually handles it. For a sudden death, it may be paramedics or the medical examiner's office.

If the death is referred to a coroner or medical examiner, they decide whether an autopsy is needed and when the body can be released. This can delay the funeral by days or longer. The coroner vs medical examiner guide explains who does what.

How long can you stay with the person, and when do you call a funeral home?

The National Cancer Institute notes that families may want to stay with the person for a while and take part in customs or rituals. If the death is not being investigated, you can usually take your time. Call relatives, a faith leader or a friend if you want company.

When you are ready, call a funeral home or cremation provider. You do not have to use the first one you find. The FTC Funeral Rule says funeral providers must give you price information over the phone if you ask, and you do not have to give your name or address first. Many families call two or three. Our guide to the General Price List explains how to compare.

You also do not need to rush into embalming. The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death, and refrigeration is often an acceptable alternative.

Some families choose to care for the person at home for a day or more. That is called a home funeral. The Funeral Consumers Alliance says nine states require a funeral director for some steps, so check your state's rules first. Our home funeral FAQ covers it.

What should you do about medications and the house?

Ask the hospice nurse how to handle leftover medication. The FDA says the best way to dispose of most unused medicines is a take-back option, such as a pharmacy or police station program, and it keeps a flush list for a few medicines such as certain opioids. Until then, lock medicines away.

If the person lived alone, a few simple steps help:

• Lock the home and make a list of who has keys.
• Arrange care for pets and plants.
• Remove perishable food and take out the trash.
• Collect the mail so bills and legal notices are not missed.
• Put wallets, jewelry and important papers somewhere safe.

If you think the person had a will, trust or funeral wishes on file, look for them, but you do not need to settle estate matters in the first hours.

What paperwork comes after a death at home?

USAGov explains that you order certified copies from your state's vital records office, that fees and timing vary, and that you need them to notify Social Security, close accounts and claim insurance. It also says the funeral director should report the death to Social Security if you give them the person's Social Security number. If they do not, you must call 1-800-772-1213. Social Security takes death reports by phone or in person, not online.

If the death was sudden and went to the coroner, the death certificate may say "pending" until the cause is decided. Our guide on how to get a death certificate covers delays. Our first week checklist shows what can wait.

What if the death happens at home in the UK?

The steps are similar, with a different legal process:

• A doctor must confirm the death. If the death was sudden or unexplained, call 999. The medical examiner and coroner steps below are for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own systems, so ask the doctor or registrar there.
• A medical examiner, a senior doctor not involved in the person's care, reviews the cause of death. Speaking to them is voluntary.
• GOV.UK says you must wait for the medical examiner's office to confirm you can register, then register the death within 5 days (8 in Scotland), including weekends and bank holidays.
• The registrar gives you a certificate for burial or cremation, often called the green form, which goes to the funeral director.
• If the death is reported to a coroner, the coroner decides whether to investigate, and you can request an interim death certificate for probate while an inquest is pending.

After registration, in England, Scotland and Wales you can use the Tell Us Once service to report the death to most government departments in one go. Our guides on UK death registration and Tell Us Once have the full steps.

What to do next

1. Call a funeral home when you are ready and ask for its General Price List.
2. Ask the funeral home to report the death to Social Security and to order death certificates.
3. Ask a friend to help with calls, then work through our first 24 hours checklist.

This guide is general information, not legal or medical advice. Rules differ by state and country, so confirm details with the hospice, the funeral home or your local vital records office.