Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953

29 Correction of errors in registers. E+W

(1) No alteration shall be made in any register of live–births, still–births or deaths except as authorised by this or any other Act.

(2) Any clerical error which may from time to time be discovered in any such register may, in the prescribed manner and subject to the prescribed conditions, be corrected by any person authorised in that behalf by the Registrar General.

(3) An error of fact or substance in any such register may be corrected by entry in the margin (without any alteration of the original entry) by the officer having the custody of the register, F1 . . . and upon production to him by that person of a statutory declaration setting forth the nature of the error and the true facts of the case made by two qualified informants of the birth or death with reference to which the error has been made, or in default of two qualified informants then [F2 either] by two credible persons having knowledge of the truth of the case [F3 or, where it applies, in accordance with section 29A of this Act].

[F4 (3A) In the case of a death in relation to which the registrar has been given a confirmed attending practitioner's certificate, or a medical examiner's certificate, in accordance with regulations under section 20 of the 2009 Act—

(a) no correction under subsection (3) of this section relating to the cause of death may be made without the approval of the medical examiner concerned;

(b) any error of fact or substance relating to the cause of death in a register of deaths may be corrected by entry in the margin (without any alteration of the original entry) by the officer having the custody of the register on being notified by the medical examiner of the nature of the error and the true facts of the case.

(3B) In the case of a death in relation to which an investigation under Part 1 of the 2009 Act has been discontinued under section 4 of that Act (cause of death [F5 becoming clear before inquest])—

(a) no correction under subsection (3) of this section relating to the cause of death may be made without the approval of the senior coroner concerned;

(b) any error of fact or substance relating to the cause of death in a register of deaths may be corrected by entry in the margin (without any alteration of the original entry) by the officer having the custody of the register on being notified by the senior coroner of the nature of the error and the true facts of the case.]

[F6 (4) Where—

(a) an error of fact or substance (other than an error relating to the cause of death) occurs in the information given by a coroner’s certificate concerning F7 ... a death [F8 into which he has conducted an investigation under Part 1 of the 2009 Act (other than one that has been discontinued under section 4 of that Act)]; F9 ...

F9 (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

the coroner, if satisfied by evidence on oath or statutory declaration that such an error exists, may certify [F10 in writing] to the officer having the custody of the register in which the information is entered the nature of the error and the true facts of the case as ascertained by him on that evidence, and the error may thereupon be corrected by that officer in the register by entering in the margin (without any alteration of the original entry) the facts as so certified by the coroner.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words repealed by S.I. 1968/1242, Sch. 2

F2 Word in s. 29(3) inserted (24.7.2002) by The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers or Other Records) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1419), art. 2(1)(a)

F3 Words in s. 29(3) inserted (24.7.2002) by The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers or Other Records) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/1419), art. 2(1)(b)

F4 S. 29(3A)(3B) inserted (25.7.2013 for specified purposes, 16.4.2024 for specified purposes) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(4)(e), Sch. 21 para. 18(2) (with s. 180); S.I. 2013/1869, art. 2(o)(vii); S.I. 2024/516, art. 2(f)

F5 Words in s. 29(3B) substituted (28.6.2022) by Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (c. 35), ss. 39(4)(d), 51(3)

F6 Words substituted by Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45), Sch. 12

F7 Words repealed by Coroners Act 1980 (c. 38, SIF 33), Sch. 2

F8 Words in s. 29(4)(a) substituted (25.7.2013) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(4)(e), Sch. 21 para. 18(3) (with s. 180); S.I. 2013/1869, art. 2(o)(viii)

F9 S. 29(4)(b) and word repealed (25.7.2013) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(4)(e), Sch. 21 para. 18(4), Sch. 23 Pt. 1 (with s. 180); S.I. 2013/1869, art. 2(o)(viii)

F10 Words in s. 29(4) substituted (1.12.2021) by The Births and Deaths Registration (Electronic Communications and Electronic Storage) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1231), arts. 1(2), 3(6)