When it comes to letting people know that your loved one has died there are several options available to you. Your loved one may have told you up front that they do or don’t want you share the news of their death in the local paper. Either way, it is up to you what you choose to do.
While it’s become tradition to post a death notice when someone dies, you don’t have to and there are different ways to manage the process.
You may be familiar with the terms funeral notice, death notice and obituary, but do you know the difference? And are you wondering, specifically, how to write a death notice?
We’ll explain everything below.
What is a death notice?
A death notice is an announcement made to let other people know about a person’s death. It’s usually placed in the local newspaper by the family of the person who has died, perhaps with support from a funeral director. A death notice might also mention surviving family members.
You’ll be able to find out all you need to know about death notices in this article.
How does a death notice differ from a funeral notice or obituary?
Funeral notice
A funeral notice is usually short and typically includes only essential information. This might be the person's full name, date and place of birth, date and place of death, and most importantly details about funeral arrangements.
A funeral notice serves a different purpose to a death notice. It is specifically designed to give details about the funeral service or memorial service you’ve arranged. You might publish a funeral notice once you know the arrangements for the funeral, giving people all the info they need to pay their respects or attend the service.
Obituary
An obituary is usually longer than a death notice. In an obituary you could include more details about the person’s life, the kind of person they were and how people around them might remember them. It can often be used as a way to celebrate the life of a loved one as well as notifying the local community of their death and funeral arrangements.
You may choose to post one or more of these types of announcement, depending on the standing of the person who has died, their wishes and your family’s situation.
It’s worth noting that if you are responsible for managing a person’s estate and you need to go through probate, you might also need to post a deceased estates notice. This is not a legal requirement but can be important to help make sure all debts against the estate are settled and probate is calculated correctly.
How to write a death notice in the UK
If you’re wondering how to word a death notice, it doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, as a general rule try to stick to only 3 to 5 lines of must-know information. You may even find that your local paper has a character or word limit in place to ensure the death notices they publish are consistent.
You can use a separate obituary if you want to include biographical information about your loved one’s life.
Here is a helpful checklist if you’re wondering what to put in a death notice:
- The full legal name of person who has died
- The date and place of their birth
- The date and place of their death
- Names of the closest surviving relatives
- Details of the funeral (if you wish to include this)
By their nature, funeral notices are short and simple and tend to follow a similar pattern. You don’t need to worry about your writing. Just make sure the necessary information is included and the facts are correct.
Where are death notices published?
There are a number of options when it comes to publishing a death notice. You might choose to share it in the local newspaper, particularly if you loved one had lived in the local area for a long time or was well known in the community. A quick search of your local paper’s website will help you to find the right contact details for submission of your notice.
You might also choose to publish the death notice on social media or a dedicated online platform.
If probate applies to you, you should also request that the funeral notice is published in The Gazette.
How much does a death notice cost?
According to SunLife’s 2024 Cost of Dying Report the average cost of a death notice is around £81. This would be paid directly to the paper in which you choose to publish the announcement.
Publishing your death notice online can be free, particularly if you are using regular social media.
Are death notices public record?
While death certificates are a matter of public record, meaning that by law anyone can request one, death notices, themselves, are not. As a death notice is placed in the local press or online by a member of the family or a friend of the person who has died, it is not a legal document or government record.
Do you have to publish a death notice?
Are death notices required by law in the UK? No, they’re not a legal requirement. While many people choose to share news about the death of a loved one via a funeral notice in the local media or online, it’s not necessary.
It can be useful, though, to place a death notice to make sure that all family members, friends and acquaintances are informed about what’s happened. That way if they wish to pay their respects in some way or attend the funeral, they’ll be able to do so.
If you’re still struggling with how to post a death notice or what details to include, your chosen funeral director will be able to help you. If you’ve not found a funeral director to help you with funeral planning yet, use our directory to find one that’s local to you.
Photo by Nils Stahl on Unsplash.