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The first thing to do depends on the situation.
If the person died in a hospital, hospice or rest home, the staff will usually guide you through what happens next.
If the person died at home and the death was expected, you may need to contact their doctor, hospice nurse or the healthcare professional involved in their care.
If the death was sudden, unexpected or there is any immediate danger, call 111.
If you are unsure what applies, call the person’s doctor, the hospice or care team, or emergency services. You can also contact a funeral director or cremation provider for guidance.
If someone dies at home
If the death was expected, the person may have been under the care of a GP, hospice nurse, district nurse or another healthcare professional.
You may need to contact the medical professional involved in their care so the death can be confirmed and the required medical paperwork can be started.
If the death was unexpected, sudden, accidental, or you are not sure what happened, call 111. Police or the Coroner may need to be involved before the person can be moved.
Once the death has been confirmed and the required steps are clear, you can contact a funeral director or cremation provider to arrange collection and care.
If someone dies in hospital, hospice or a rest home
If someone dies in hospital, hospice or a rest home, the staff will usually explain what happens next.
They may help with the first paperwork and let you know when a funeral director or cremation provider can be contacted. You can ask staff what they need from you and when the person can be brought into care.
You do not need to make every decision immediately. It is okay to take a little time to contact whānau, check the person’s wishes if you know them, and decide what type of arrangement feels right.
If the death was unexpected
If the death was sudden, accidental, unexplained or unexpected, the Police or Coroner may become involved.
This can change the timing of what happens next. The person may not be released straight away, and there may be extra steps before a cremation or burial can be arranged.
This can feel unsettling, but it is a normal process in some situations. The authorities involved will explain what needs to happen. A funeral director or cremation provider can also help you understand what this means for the arrangements.
Check for any wishes, will or important documents
When you feel ready, check whether the person who died left any wishes about what they wanted.
This might be in:
- Their will.
- A statement of wishes.
- A prepaid funeral plan or funeral trust.
- An insurance policy.
- A conversation they had with family or whãnau.
- Notes kept with personal papers.
You may also need to find out who the executor is. The executor is the person named in the will to deal with the estate and carry out the legal and administrative tasks after someone dies.
If there is no will, the process may be different. You may need legal advice or guidance from a trusted official source.
Choose what type of arrangement is needed
Once the immediate steps are underway, you can decide what type of arrangement is right.
Some families choose a traditional funeral or tangi. Some choose burial. Some choose cremation with a service. Others choose direct cremation, where the cremation is arranged without a funeral service attached.
There is no single right way to farewell someone.
A direct cremation may suit families who want a simple cremation first, then time to decide whether to gather later. You can still hold a memorial at home, at a community space, outdoors, on family land, or somewhere meaningful once the ashes have been returned.
What direct cremation means
Direct cremation is a cremation without a funeral service attached.
With Value Cremations, this means we collect the person who has died, care for them respectfully, help organise the required documentation, arrange the cremation, and return the ashes to you.
You do not need to arrange a chapel service, viewing, catering, flowers or a formal gathering unless you want to organise something separately.
Some families choose direct cremation because it is simple and lower-pressure. Others choose it because they want to farewell in their own time, in their own way.
Registering the death
A death needs to be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages.
If you use a funeral director, they will usually register the death for you and help organise the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
If you are organising the funeral, burial or cremation yourself, you need to register the death yourself. Govt.nz states that this must be done within 3 working days of the burial or cremation.
You can check the latest requirements on the official Govt.nz website.
Getting a death certificate
A death certificate is an official document that may be needed for estate matters, banks, insurance, Work and Income, ACC, KiwiSaver, property, or other administration.
You can order a death certificate once the death has been registered. Govt.nz notes that you may need a death certificate if you are administering someone’s estate or applying for a funeral grant from Work and Income or ACC.
If you are using a funeral director or cremation provider, ask whether they will help with this or explain when you can apply.
Help with funeral, burial or cremation costs
You may be able to get financial help with funeral, burial or cremation costs in New Zealand.
The main support option is the Funeral Grant from Work and Income. This may help with some reasonable funeral or cremation costs, depending on the circumstances. Eligibility can depend on things like your relationship to the person who died, available assets, income and whether other financial support is available.
ACC may also be able to help with burial or cremation costs if the person died because of an accident.
Amounts and eligibility can change, so always check the official websites for the most up-to-date information.
Letting organisations know
There may be a number of people and organisations to contact after someone dies. You do not need to do everything at once.
A simple list can help.
You may need to contact:
- Family, whānau and close friends
- The executor of the will
- The person’s lawyer or trustee company
- Their employer or business contacts
- Their bank
- Insurance providers
- IRD
- Work and Income, if relevant
- ACC, if the death was accident-related
- KiwiSaver provider
- Landlord or property manager
- Power, phone, internet and other utility providers
- Subscription services
- Clubs, memberships or community groups.
Govt.nz has a broader checklist of steps and organisations to consider after someone dies.
Looking after yourself and your whānau
There is a lot to take in after someone dies. It can help to slow things down where you can.
You might want to ask one trusted person to help with phone calls, paperwork or decisions. You may also want someone to sit with you while you contact a funeral director, cremation provider, doctor or government agency.
Grief can feel different for everyone. Some people want to be busy. Some feel numb. Some need quiet. Some need to be with whānau. There is no correct way to feel.
If you or someone close to you is struggling, reach out for support. Your GP, local health provider, counsellor, kaumātua, minister, community leader or trusted support organisation may be able to help.
If you would like a simple cremation
If you would like to arrange a direct cremation, Value Cremations can help.
We provide a simple, all-inclusive cremation service across New Zealand. We collect the person who has died, help organise the required documentation, arrange the cremation and return the ashes to you.
You can arrange online, or call us if you would rather talk to someone first.
You do not need to have everything worked out before you call. We can explain the next step and what information is needed.
