What to do when someone dies

When someone dies in Queensland, the first step is to have the death formally verified by a doctor, or by ambulance or police if it was sudden. Nothing else, including any transfer into a funeral director's care, can happen until that is done. There is no paperwork you need to complete in the first hours.

In the first few hours

If the death was expected, at home

Ring the treating doctor, the palliative care team or the hospital-in-the-home service. They will attend and verify the death. There is no emergency and no need to call 000. You can sit with your loved one for as long as you need to.

If the death was sudden or unexpected

Ring 000. Paramedics and, in most cases, police will attend. This is routine and it does not mean anyone suspects anything. The death may be reported to the Coroner, which is also routine in these circumstances, and it means your loved one cannot be released until the Coroner permits it.

If the death happened in hospital or aged care

The staff handle the verification themselves and will tell you what they need from you. Usually the only thing they will ask early on is which funeral director or cremation provider you intend to use, so they know who to release your loved one to. You do not have to answer that immediately.

Then, when you are ready

1. Choose who will care for your loved one. This is where a funeral director or a direct cremation provider comes in. You can ring around and compare. Nobody should pressure you into deciding on the spot.
2. Tell the hospital or facility who you have chosen. After that, your provider deals with them directly. With us, you make one phone call and we take it from there.
3. Find the paperwork if you can. The doctor's certificate, any pre-arranged funeral documents and, if there is one, the will. If you cannot find them, it is not a crisis.
4. Let close family know. Nothing else on this list is more urgent than this, and it is the part nobody else can do for you.

In the first weeks

The death is registered with Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages by your provider, and the official death certificate is issued. Once you have that, you can begin notifying the organisations that need to know.

The usual list looks something like this:

• Banks, credit unions and any joint account holders
• Superannuation funds and life insurers
• Centrelink, Medicare and the Australian Taxation Office
• The person's employer, if they were working
• Utilities, phone and internet providers
• Landlord or mortgage lender
• Health insurance, car and home insurance
• Queensland Transport, for a licence and any registered vehicles
• The executor or solicitor holding the will

Most of these organisations will want a certified copy of the death certificate, so order several rather than posting your only original around the country.

Where a direct cremation fits

If you want a simple cremation without a funeral service, a direct cremation covers the transfer, the paperwork, the cremation and the return of the ashes for one price. You can hold a memorial afterwards, in your own time, without a schedule set by anyone else.

You can read what a direct cremation involves or see what it costs. Or just ring Shane on 0461 543 517 and ask. There is no cost to ask a question and nobody will chase you afterwards.

This guide is general information for families in Queensland, not legal or financial advice. If an estate is complicated or contested, speak to a solicitor.