Coronavirus Act 2020

Giving information other than in person

12 (1) A person who is required under the 1965 Act to give information about a death or still-birth to the district registrar for a registration district may give the information to the registrar—

(a) by telephone, or

(b) by any other methods specified in guidance by the Registrar General,

if the person is unable to attend the registrar personally.

(2) A person is to be treated as unable to give information for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) if it would be unreasonable for the person to do so (whether because of illness, the need to care for others, the risk of infection, staff shortages at the district registrar’s office or any other reason).

(3) Where information is given under sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) if an approved digital means of attesting the death registration form or, as the case may be, register is available for the person providing the information (“the informant”) to use, the informant may attest the death registration form or, as the case may be, register by that means;

(b) otherwise—

(i) the informant must provide such details as to the informant’s usual signature as the district registrar may require, and

(ii) if satisfied with those details, the registrar may in a manner specified in guidance by the Registrar General attest the death registration form or, as the case may be, register on behalf of the informant.

(4) For the purpose of sub-paragraph (3), “an approved digital means of attesting” is a means specified for that purpose in guidance issued by the Registrar General.