Cultural and religious burials and cremations

How to register a death at short notice due to cultural or religious reasons. 

Our standard office hours for registering deaths are Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm. We can register a death outside of these hours if there is a cultural or religious reason why the death needs to be registered urgently. 

Cumberland Registration Service

Email: registration.service@cumberland.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 373 3730

Registering a death from Monday to Friday

9am to 2pm

If you contact us Monday to Friday before 2pm, we will give you an appointment no later than 5pm on the same day at a register office within Cumberland.

2pm to 8pm

If you contact us between 2pm and 8pm, we will do our best to attend one of our main offices to register the death the same day.

Registering a death on weekends and bank holidays

On weekends and bank holiday, we are available from 8am to 8pm. 

Who can register a death and information you need to provide

Only certain people can register a death. Find our more about who can register a death.

That person will also need to provide information and documents relating to the deceased. Find out more about what information you need to provide

Registration can only proceed if the death happened within Cumberland (previously Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle areas). 

If the death occurred in Westmorland and Furness (previously Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow areas) please visit the Westmorland and Furness website for advice.

If you’re unsure which new Council area you need to contact please use our handy tool to find out.

The coroner

If there has been any referral or involvement with the coroner then an appointment can not be allocated until the coroner has issued the appropriate paperwork. The coroner is only available out of office hours to deal with urgent statutory matters, such as organ donation and requests for Home Office post mortems.

Death referrals are non-statutory matters will be dealt with by the coroners service the next working day.