To prove you are independent you will need to provide both of their death certificates. If you do not have these and your parent(s) died in the UK you will need to obtain duplicates.
If your parent(s) died outside of the UK, provide any official document you have that confirms that your parent(s) have died abroad.
If you do not have any official documentation, please provide a covering letter advising the reason you cannot obtain an official document and a letter signed by one of the following;
- Consular officer - someone who works for an Embassy or Consul, either employed by the UK government or another country's government
- Minister of religion - such as a Rabbi, Priest or Imam
- Medical or legal practitioner - someone currently registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) such as a GP or consultant
- Established civil servant - someone who is employed by the Crown (excluding those employed by the Monarch herself) who has passed any compulsory probation period for new Civil Service employees
- Teacher - someone with a teaching qualification and who is working as a teacher currently
- Police officer - such as someone currently working within the UK police force
The letter should give details of the situation and include the person's job title, their employer, their contact details, their relationship to you and be written on headed paper if applicable.