REGISTRATION OF DEATH By Hilary Clark Registration Births

REGISTRATION OF DEATH By Hilary Clark

Registration • Births and Deaths registration Act 1953 • Persons required to notify deaths to the Registrar and when • Documentation and Information required by Registrar • Documents issued by Registrar to Informant upon registration

Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 Section 15 provides that: “The death of every person dying in England Wales and the cause thereof shall be registered by the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the sub-district in which the death occurred by entering in a register kept for that sub-district such particulars concerning the death as may be prescribed. ”

Persons required to notify deaths to the Registrar A. Deaths in Houses and Public Institutions i) Relative of deceased, present at death ii) Relative of deceased, in attendance during last illness iii) Relative of deceased, residing or being in subdistrict where death occurred. iv) A person present at death v) The occupier* if he knew of the death vi) Any inmate who knew of the death vii) Person causing disposal of body (eg paying funeral account)

“Occupier” in relation to public institutions, includes: Governor, keeper, master, matron, superintendent or other chief resident officer.

Persons required to notify deaths to the Registrar cont. B Deaths not in houses, or dead bodies found: i) Any relative of deceased having knowledge of particulars required to be registered ii) Any person present at death or who found body iii) Any person in charge of body iv) Person causing disposal of body

Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 Section 16 It is the duty of one of the persons listed to register death within 5 days Section 18 Allows up to 14 days to register death is qualified informant has supplied written notification of death and confirmation of signing of Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to Registrar within 5 days.

Documentation required by Registrar • Medical Certificate of Cause of Death • Medical Card of deceased (if available)

Information required by Registrar a) Date and place of death b) The full name (and maiden surname if deceased is a married woman) c) Date and place of birth d) Occupation (and if married woman or widow, name and occupation of husband) e) Usual address f) Whether deceased in receipt of pension or allowance from public funds g) If deceased married, date of birth of surviving widow/widower h) Name and surname of informant i) Qualification (to register death) ii) Usual address

When informant has signed Register, Registrar will issue: a) Registrar’s Certificate for Burial or Cremation (green) – which should be given to the Funeral Director who passes it to the appropriate authority** b) Certificate of Registration (Notification of Death – needed to claim benefits from DWP. c) Copies of entry in the Register – on payment of the prescribed fee – currently £ 3. 50 p d) Leaflets on State benefits and Form 48 (procedure for dealing with Wills)

Certificate of Burial (issued before Registration) If the informant is unable to attend within 5 days, the Registrar may issue a Certificate of Burial (issued before Registration) on receipt of the completed Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. This will allow Burial to take place – but not Cremation.

Lost Certificate If the “Registrar’s Certificate for Burial or Cremation” is lost, written application can be made to the issuing Registrar, for a duplicate. The duplicate is “yellow”. No fee is payable for this.