Death Registration

Who can register a death?

A relative of the deceased is the person best qualified to register the death as it is likely that they will know all the information necessary to fully complete the registration. However, if there are no relatives available there is a list of other qualified informants for the registration. A person present at the death or the administrative officer of a hospital or nursing home in which the death took place may be qualified. In the last resort the person instructing the funeral director would be qualified to register if nobody else was available.

Who can register a still birth?

The mother or the father of a still born baby are qualified to register if they are married to each other. If the parents are not married to each other the mother can register the still birth on her own. However, if the parents are not married to each other the father may still be qualified to register in some other capacity and in this case you should contact the Register Office to establish in what circumstances he would be able to register the still birth.

However, the father's details would not be included in the registration unless he attended with her to sign the register jointly or he had made a statutory declaration of his parentage before a solicitor or other person able to witness an oath. It is also possible for the mother to make a statutory declaration naming the father of the child. If the father attends with this document it is possible for him to register the birth on his own even though he is not married to the mother of the child. If the father or mother is not able to attend the Register Office there are other persons who may be qualified to register the still birth. You should phone the Register Office for advice if this is the case.

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What information will the registrar ask for?

The registrar will ask for information concerning the details of the deceased:

Date and Place of death

Full name of deceased

Maiden surname if the deceased was a woman who had married

The date and place of birth

The occupation (if the deceased was a married woman or a widow, the name and occupation of her husband)

The usual address

Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or allowance from public funds

If the deceased was married the date of birth of the surviving widow or widower

The full name and address of the person registering the death (the informant)

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What do I need to produce to register a still birth?

A doctor or midwife who attended the birth or who examined the body after birth is required to give a medical certificate of the cause of the still birth. This document needs to be taken to the Register Office of the district in which the birth took place. If there is some doubt as to whether the child was born alive it may be necessary for the case to be referred to the Coroner. If this is the case you should phone the Register Office before you attend to make sure that the Coroner's report has been received. Without this report the registrar will not be able to register. 

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How much does it cost to register a death?

There is no cost to register a death and the registrar will issue a document to enable the funeral to take place and also a document for the DSS which will clear up any outstanding pension or benefit payments. The only cost involved is where the person registering the death requires certified copies of the death registration to clear up any outstanding matters on the estate. For example, if the deceased had any bank or building society accounts or insurance policies it will be necessary to obtain copies of the death registration as evidence of the death. Each copy attracts a statutory fee and you should contact the Register Office to establish the current charges.

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What can I do if I need to arrange a funeral quickly?

The registration of a death can be undertaken from Monday to Friday by appointment.  To make an appointment please call 020 7641 1161.

If you need to register a death on a Saturday you must telephone first - 020 7641 1161.

However, we do recognise that some members of our community require a funeral to take place as quickly as possible. If a death occurs in the City of Westminster and the funeral needs to take place within 24 hours, we have a registrar on duty on Sunday mornings between 9.00am and 10.00am. The registrar may be able to issue a document to allow a burial to proceed. If you require this service you should telephone 020 7641 1310 during this hour.

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What do I need to do if I want bury or cremate a body abroad?

Before a body can be removed from England and Wales the Coroner must issue an authorisation. The forms that need to be completed can usually be obtained from the funeral director who will normally liaise directly with the Coroner's Office on your behalf. However, if you have any difficulty obtaining the necessary documents your local register office will assist.

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What do I need to do if I want to bury or cremate a body in this country if the death took place abroad?

You need to take the death certificate issued by the foreign registration authority to the registrar of the district in which the burial or cremation is taking place. The registrar has to issue a document called a 'Certificate of no liability to register'. This is the document that will be given to the funeral director in order to allow the funeral to proceed.

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What documents does the registrar give me after registering a still birth?

The registrar will issue a document that allows a burial or cremation to proceed if the Coroner has not already done so. This document needs to be given to the funeral director as no still born baby should be buried or cremated before this certificate has been issued. There is no other document that you will need legally from the registrar.

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What documents do I get when I register a death?

The registrar will issue a document to allow a burial or cremation to proceed if the Coroner has not already done so. This document needs to be given to the funeral director as the burial or cremation cannot proceed without it. The registrar will also issue a document for the Department of Social Security (DSS). This document will clear up any outstanding pension entitlement, if appropriate, and also gives the DSS information on the benefit entitlement of the surviving spouse or surviving civil partner. These are the only two documents that the registrar issues free of charge.

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Why has the death been referred to the Coroner's Office?  And therefore why won't you register the death?

There are a number of reasons why a death might have to be referred to the Coroner.

The most common reason is that there was no doctor treating the deceased during the last illness and therefore there is no doctor who is legally qualified to issue a medical certificate of the cause of death.

It may be that the doctor certifying the death has not seen the deceased after death or within 14 days of the death.

It may be that the death was the result of an accident, injury, self neglect, occurred during an operation or was the result of an industrial disease related to the deceased's occupation.

In all these circumstances the registrar is legally obligated to report the death to the Coroner in order to properly establish the cause of death. The registrar cannot register until the Coroner has notified the registrar

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