MOVING THE BODY

If the death occurred in hospital, the body is usually despatched to the hospital mortuary for collection after a medical certificate has been issued. Nursing homes and hospices will ask the next of kin to make arrangements for the body to be taken away or arrange for a funeral director to do this.

Where a death occurs at home the doctor who examines the body and confirms the death will let you know if the body can be moved. If the death was unexpected, the body may have to go to hospital for a post mortem.

In the past it was customary in some families to keep the body at home – typically in the front parlour – until the day of the funeral so that relatives and friends could come to pay their respects. This tradition has now gone out of fashion, but it would be wise to check whether any close relative wishes to view the deceased at home before the body is taken away.

Nowadays most people prefer to employ funeral directors (undertakers) to take the body to their premises and keep it there until the day of the funeral. After the funeral director has taken charge of the body there will be an opportunity to see the deceased again, lying in a coffin in the funeral director’s chapel of rest, but prior arrangement is needed.

Since the body will normally be ready for removal within hours of a person’s death, you will need to contact a funeral director with all due speed. Ideally you will have a firm in mind, but if the death was unexpected you may not have thought about such matters. Chapter 3 offers advice on using funeral directors.