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uk Death, bereavement & serious family crises

What to do if…
someone appears to die during a phone or video call and you are not with them

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Call 999 or 112 immediately and ask for an ambulance. Explain that the person collapsed or became unresponsive during a phone or video call and that you are not at their location.

Do not do these things

  • Do not wait for the person to answer, move, or reconnect before calling emergency services.
  • Do not assume that the person has died based only on what you can see or hear remotely.
  • Do not repeatedly call them if doing so delays the emergency call.
  • Do not ask anyone to enter if there may be violence, fire, gas, weapons, unsafe substances, or another danger.
  • Do not post, forward, or share recordings or screenshots of what happened.
  • Do not drive while shaking, faint, confused, or unable to concentrate.

What to do now

  1. Call 999 or 112 using any available phone. Ask for an ambulance and say immediately that the patient is at a different location from you.

  2. Give the call handler the person’s exact address if you know it. Include the postcode, flat or room number, building name, entry details, nearby landmarks, full name, and phone number.

  3. Describe only what you directly saw or heard. Say when the person collapsed or stopped responding, whether you could see normal breathing, whether you heard gasping or distress, and whether injury, violence, fire, gas, medication, alcohol, or drugs may be involved.

  4. Follow the call handler’s instructions and stay available for questions. Tell them promptly if you learn anything new about the person’s location or condition.

  5. After calling emergency services, contact a trusted neighbour, receptionist, building manager, carer, colleague, or relative who may already have safe access. Tell them that emergency services are on the way and not to enter if the location may be dangerous.

  6. Write down the approximate time and a brief factual account of what you saw or heard while it is fresh. Do not keep replaying distressing footage.

  7. Once emergency help has been arranged, sit somewhere safe and contact someone you trust who can stay with you by phone or in person.

What can wait

You do not need to determine whether the person has died, explain the event to everyone, arrange travel, contact the wider family, make funeral decisions, collect belongings, or work out why it happened now. Focus on getting emergency services to the correct location and keeping yourself safe.

Important reassurance

You are not expected to confirm a death or provide treatment from a distance. Calling 999 with incomplete information is appropriate when someone appears unresponsive or may not be breathing normally.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps only. Later contact with relatives, hospitals, police, employers, bereavement services, or other specialists may require further information and support.

Important note

This is general information, not medical, legal, therapeutic, or other professional advice. Follow instructions from emergency services and seek urgent help if you or anyone else is in immediate danger.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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