Is there a way to find out if someone has passed away?

JadeHighland

A friend, where we had no mutual friends, has suddenly stopped responding. Phone goes to voicemail and no response from email. Said person has no social media presence that I can find.

Wondering if there is some public obituary or death certificate record where I can type in a name and find someone. 

RAS

There is, www.gro.gov.uk. But it doesn't have the most recent two years.

gwynlas

If you were close and have full name and address you could request a welfare check by police or social services. I recently heard of an aquaintance lying dead for three weeks before entry made to property.

elsien

Might also be that they are in hospital or moved to a care home and not been able to update you? 

Silvertabby

Try the obituary listings in your friend's local newspaper.  If nothing there, then I would ask the police to carry out a welfare check.  Just in case....

Brie

elsien said:

Might also be that they are in hospital or moved to a care home and not been able to update you? 

or in jail or on holiday?

Cairnpapple

If you have any knowledge of their family, you might try the family's social media. Facebook seems to be where people post funeral details these days and there's a reasonable chance of it being a public post.

35har1old

Cairnpapple said:

If you have any knowledge of their family, you might try the family's social media. Facebook seems to be where people post funeral details these days and there's a reasonable chance of it being a public post.

Death notices in the location or death notices UK online

Teapot55

It’s usually possible to phone a person’s local hospital and ask if they’re a patient there. You generally have to know their address or date of birth. They’ll then tell you yes or no, and if yes, which ward they’re on. 

lika_86

Teapot55 said:

It’s usually possible to phone a person’s local hospital and ask if they’re a patient there. You generally have to know their address or date of birth. They’ll then tell you yes or no, and if yes, which ward they’re on. 

I'd be surprised and concerned if they did. 

Teapot55

lika_86 said:

Teapot55 said:

It’s usually possible to phone a person’s local hospital and ask if they’re a patient there. You generally have to know their address or date of birth. They’ll then tell you yes or no, and if yes, which ward they’re on. 

I'd be surprised and concerned if they did. 

I speak from experience. 

I was in the habit of phoning an elderly housebound relative of mine at a set day and time and this particular week there was no reply for two days. On the second day I phoned the local hospital. A person who had not been near a hospital in eighty plus years had had a fall and was indeed in the hospital.