What to Do When a Citizen of New Zealand Dies in United Kingdom: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Medical Certification of Death and Coroner or Procurator Fiscal Clearance in the United Kingdom

   Before civil registration, funeral arrangements, or international repatriation can proceed, the cause of death must be certified under the rules of the UK constituent nation where the death occurred [1][2].

   • Expected death in a hospital, hospice, or care setting: In England and Wales, an attending doctor completes the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD), which is independently scrutinized and countersigned by an NHS Medical Examiner before being sent electronically to the local Register Office [1][2]. In Scotland, the attending doctor issues the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (Form 11), which may be selected for review by Healthcare Improvement Scotland's Death Certification Review Service (DCRS), and in Northern Ireland the doctor issues the MCCD reviewed by the Medical Examiner Service [1][4].
   • Sudden, unexpected, or unexplained death outside a hospital: Call emergency services on 999 or NHS 111 immediately so police and medical personnel can attend and verify the death [1]. If the cause of death is sudden, accidental, unnatural, or unknown, the death is referred to the Coroner (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) or to the Procurator Fiscal within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (in Scotland), who decides whether a post-mortem examination or inquest is required before releasing the body for registration and funeral arrangements [1][2].
2. 2

   Travel Insurance, Funeral Directors in the UK and New Zealand, and Consular Support

   Check immediately whether your family member held travel, medical-assistance, or employer repatriation insurance [3]. Contact the insurer's 24-hour assistance team before signing any independent funeral contract, as the insurer normally appoints the UK and New Zealand funeral coordinators directly and covers eligible repatriation or local funeral costs [3].

   • Notifying the New Zealand High Commission in London: Report the death to the New Zealand High Commission in London (+44 20 7930 8422, [email protected], or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 24/7 SafeTravel consular emergency line at +64 9 920 20 20) [3][5]. Consular staff can advise on local UK procedures and tikanga considerations, provide lists of international funeral directors, notify next of kin in New Zealand, and cancel the deceased's New Zealand passport, though the New Zealand Government cannot pay funeral or repatriation expenses [3][5].
   • Appointing funeral directors in the United Kingdom and New Zealand: Appoint a UK funeral director experienced in international repatriation through the National Association of Funeral Directors (+44 121 711 1343, [email protected]) or the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (+44 1279 726777, [email protected]) [6][7]. If returning your family member to New Zealand, coordinate with a receiving New Zealand funeral director registered with the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (+64 4 473 7475, [email protected]) [8]. These directories are listed as public-source examples for orientation; Clarvia does not endorse, recommend, or rank specific providers.
3. 3

   Civil Death Registration in the United Kingdom and Document Recognition for New Zealand

   Once the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (or coroner's certificate) reaches the registrar, the death must be registered at the local Register Office in the UK district where the death occurred (for example, Westminster Register Office in London, Manchester Registration Service, or the City of Edinburgh Council Registration Service) [1][2].

   • Statutory UK registration deadlines: Register the death within 5 days in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, or within 8 days in Scotland, and purchase multiple certified copies of the official UK Death Certificate (entry in the register of deaths) [1][2]. (Note that Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office consular death registration applies when British nationals die outside the UK [1].)
   • Apostille and recognition in New Zealand: Both the United Kingdom and New Zealand are parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention (multilingual CIEC Form C extracts do not apply in either country). Because UK Death Certificates are issued in English, New Zealand banks, KiwiSaver schemes, and government agencies generally accept certified UK Death Certificates directly; where formal authentication is required for High Court probate or property transfers, apply for a Hague Apostille through the UK Legalisation Office [9]. In New Zealand, Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM, Department of Internal Affairs - DIA, which registers domestic NZ deaths within 3 working days after burial or cremation) does not register deaths that occurred outside New Zealand unless the deceased was aboard a New Zealand-registered ship or aircraft, so the UK Death Certificate serves as the permanent legal proof of death in New Zealand [3][10].
4. 4

   International Repatriation to New Zealand vs. Local Burial or Cremation in the United Kingdom

   Your family can choose to repatriate the body or cremated ashes to New Zealand or arrange local burial or cremation in the United Kingdom [1][3].

   • Repatriating human remains (casket) from the UK to New Zealand:
     • UK exit clearances: In England and Wales, before a body can be removed outside England or Wales, the UK funeral director must give notice (Form 103) to the local Coroner, who issues an Out-of-England Order (Form 104) once satisfied no further inquiries are required [1]. In Scotland, exporting human remains abroad requires clearance from Healthcare Improvement Scotland's Death Certification Review Service (DCRS) (and Procurator Fiscal permission where applicable) [4]. Your UK funeral director also arranges arterial embalming, a hermetically sealed zinc-lined export coffin, and a Freedom from Infection Certificate.
     • New Zealand customs and biosecurity clearance: Upon arrival in New Zealand (for example, at Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch International Airport), the receiving New Zealand funeral director clears the casket through the New Zealand Customs Service and Ministry for Primary Industries / Public Health Service biosecurity using the official UK Death Certificate, the embalming certificate, the hermetically sealed coffin certificate, and the Public Health non-infectious disease certificate [10][11].
   • Transporting cremated ashes to New Zealand: If cremation takes place in the UK, an Out-of-England Order is not required to take cremated ashes abroad [1]. You may carry the sealed urn in airline hand luggage or ship it via air cargo; upon arrival in New Zealand, declare the ashes and wooden or natural-material urn to the New Zealand Customs Service and biosecurity officers, presenting the UK Death Certificate and Certificate of Cremation [11].
5. 5

   Post-Death Notifications, Pensions, Tax, and Probate in New Zealand and the United Kingdom

   With the official UK Death Certificates, complete notifications, survivor benefit claims, tax filings, and probate in both jurisdictions.

   • New Zealand notifications, pensions, tax, and High Court Probate:
     • Te Hokinga ā-Wairua and Work and Income (MSD / ACC): Consult the Te Hokinga ā-Wairua End of Life Service on govt.nz for New Zealand post-death checklists [10]. Contact Work and Income (0800 559 009 from New Zealand or +64 4 916 3404 from overseas) to report the death if your family member received New Zealand Superannuation or a Veteran's Pension, and to check eligibility for a means-tested Funeral Grant or survivor assistance (or contact ACC if the death resulted from a covered accident while temporarily abroad) [10][12].
     • KiwiSaver, Inland Revenue (IRD), and High Court Probate: Notify Inland Revenue (0800 227 774 or +64 4 978 0779) to finalize New Zealand tax obligations up to the date of death and file any estate tax return (Form IR6) [13]. Contact the deceased's KiwiSaver provider and New Zealand banks; if any single financial institution or KiwiSaver balance in New Zealand exceeds NZD 15,000 or the deceased owned New Zealand real property, apply to the High Court of New Zealand (Wellington Probate Registry) for a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration, or apply to reseal a UK Grant of Probate in the High Court of New Zealand [10].
   • United Kingdom notifications, pensions, tax, and Probate: When registering the death in England, Scotland, or Wales, obtain a reference number from the registrar to use the Tell Us Once service (or call the DWP Bereavement Service on 0800 151 2012 / International Pension Centre on +44 191 218 7777), which notifies HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), the Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, and local councils in one step [14][15]. If your family member held UK bank accounts, property, or investments requiring court authority, report the estate and any Inheritance Tax (Form IHT400) to HMRC and apply for a Grant of Probate in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland (or Confirmation in Scotland) via HM Courts & Tribunals Service Probate (or reseal a New Zealand grant in the UK under the Colonial Probates Act) [16].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   What to do when someone dies: step by step — GOV.UK
2. [2]
   Register a death — GOV.UK
3. [3]
   Someone has died overseas - SafeTravel Consular Guidance — New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
4. [4]
   Death Certification Review Service (DCRS) - Reviews and Repatriation Abroad — Healthcare Improvement Scotland
5. [5]
   New Zealand High Commission in London, United Kingdom — New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
6. [6]
   National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) Directory — National Association of Funeral Directors
7. [7]
   Find a SAIF Member Funeral Director Directory — National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF)
8. [8]
   Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) Directory — Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand
9. [9]
   Get your document legalised (Apostille) — GOV.UK / Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
10. [10]
    First steps when someone dies - Te Hokinga ā-Wairua End of Life Service — New Zealand Government (services.govt.nz)
11. [11]
    Prohibited and restricted items - Human remains and ashes — New Zealand Customs Service
12. [12]
    Funeral Grant — Work and Income (Ministry of Social Development)
13. [13]
    Managing the tax affairs of someone who has died — Inland Revenue (IRD)
14. [14]
    Organisations you need to contact and Tell Us Once — GOV.UK
15. [15]
    International Pension Centre — Department for Work and Pensions (GOV.UK)
16. [16]
    Applying for probate: How to apply — HM Courts & Tribunals Service (GOV.UK)