Death registration
Who can register a death
The Registrar will ask you questions to make sure you are the person qualified by law to register the death.
The people who can register a death fall into two slightly different categories depending on whether the death occurred in a house or hospital etc, or elsewhere:
Deaths in a house or hospital etc. -
- a relative of the deceased
- someone present at the death
- the occupier of the house or hospital if he or she knew of the death
- another person living at the house if he or she knew of the death
- the person making the arrangements with the funeral director.
Deaths elsewhere -
- a relative of the deceased
- someone present at the death
- someone who found the body
- a person in charge of the body
- the person making the arrangements with the funeral director.
The majority of deaths are registered by a relative of the deceased. The registrar would normally allow one of the other listed persons to register the death only if there were no relatives available.
