How can I register a death during the Coronavirus pandemic?

As private client solicitors we are often the first person a friend or family member contacts following a death. As such we are often asked about the process of registering a death. We would normally advise the friend or family member that deaths had to be registered in person at a Register Office with the informant signing the register in the presence of the registrar.

We are however dealing with circumstances that mean the registration offices are currently closed.

Face-to-face registration is no longer possible and the Remote Registrations system is now live to allow registrars to take 'remote' registration of deaths by telephone or electronic means.

We have been asked by a number of clients to assist in this process and, for ease, we detail below the current process for registering a death.

1) Doctors will send an electronic copy of the Medical Certificate Cause of Death to the specified registrar and copy in the informant. The scope of individuals entitled to be the informant has been extended to include funeral directors.

2) The informant should contact the registrar by telephone or email to make arrangements to begin the death registration process.

3) The registrar will ask for the following information:

• Informant’s personal details, including phone number and email;
• details of the deceased's birth and any marriages; and
• details of any life events of the deceased that took place in another country.

4) The registrar will complete a template of how the register entry will look and email this to the informant to review and approve. If no email is available the details will be read out over the phone.

5) Once approved, the registrar will write the informant's usual form of their signature in the appropriate space on the form followed by the phrase "(Transcribed)".

6) A scanned copy of the Certificate of Registration of Death will then be emailed to the informant and/or the funeral director.

7) The death certificate will be posted to informant in due course.

If you require any assistance in this regard or in any other matter relating to the death of a loved one please just get in touch with a member of our Private Client team.