The law states that a person who registers a
death must be a qualified informant.
This normally means they are related to the deceased by blood,
marriage, civil partnership or legal adoption.
Occassionally, where there are no living relatives, other people
may take over responsibility for registering the death.
The priority of people qualified to inform of a death
is defined in law in the following order:
- A relative of the deceased present at the death
- A relative of the deceased
- A relative of the deceased in attendance during the last
illness
- Any other person present at the death
- The occupier/manager of the premises where the death
occurred
- Someone who is arranging the funeral - ie. Instructing the
funeral director and arranging payment of the funeral
account
- A person in charge of the deceased's body
It is not possible for someone in the above list to pass
responsibility to someone further down but the Registrar may
accept a qualified informant from further down the
list if preferred informants can demonstrate
that registration would cause them genuine
undue hardship.
In accepting any informant the registrar is obliged to
consider the accuracy and completeness of the registration since
errors or ommissions can have serious implications and be difficult
to rectify.
Executors of estates and legal representatives are not normally
able to register the death unless they are otherwise qualified
as an informant in the above list.
Where qualified informants are not able to reach the
Register Office in North Somerset the process of
registrating a death by declaration can be used.
The information provided in this section is for guidance only
and is not a full expression of the law.
For further information or to make an appointment please contact
the Registration Service on 01934 627 552.
