The Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987

Registration within twelve months from date of death where no report to coroner

42.—(1) Where–

(a) a certificate of cause of death has been delivered to the relevant registrar;

(b) the death is not one which has been, or is required to be, reported to the coroner; and

(c) before the expiration of 12 months from the date of death the relevant registrar receives personally from any qualified informant information of the particulars required to be registered concerning the person’s death,

the relevant registrar shall forthwith register the death and the particulars, if not previously registered, in the presence of the informant on form 13, entering the particulars required in spaces 1 to 8 in accordance, where applicable, with the following provisions of this Regulation.

(2) In space 1 (date and place of death)–

(a) where a child lived for less than 24 hours, the registrar shall enter after the date of the child’s death the word “Aged ... ... ... ...”, inserting the age in completed hours or, if less than one hour, in minutes;

(b) where the date, but not the place, of death is known, the registrar shall enter the date of death followed by the words “Found dead ... ... ... ...”, inserting the place where the body was found;

(c) where the place, but not the date, of death is known the registrar shall enter the words “On or about ... ... ... ...”, inserting the date on which the body was found followed by the place of death;

(d) where both the date and place of death are unknown, the registrar shall enter the words “Deceased found on ... ... ... ...”, inserting the date on which the body was found followed by the place where it was found.

(3) In space 6 (occupation and usual address of deceased person)–

(a) where the deceased was a child under the age of 16 years, the registrar shall enter the words “son [or daughter] of ... ... ... ...”, inserting the name, surname and occupation of the father, if that information is given, and the name, surname and occupation of the mother preceded where appropriate by the word “and” so however that if–

(i) the names and surnames of both parents are to be entered and the surname of the mother is different from that of the father, and

(ii) it is within the knowledge of the informant that the mother was known by the surname of the father at any time during the lifetime of the child,

the registrar shall enter in respect of the mother that surname followed by her name and surname as at the death of the child preceded by the word “now” or, if the mother is deceased, the name and surname as at her death preceded by the word “afterwards”;

(b) where the deceased was a married woman or widow, the registrar shall, after her occupation enter the words “Wife [or Widow] of ... ... ... ...”, inserting the name, surname and occupation of her husband or deceased husband.

(4) In space 8 (cause of death), the registrar shall enter the cause of death precisely as stated in the certificate of cause of death, followed by the words “Certified by ... ... ... ...”, inserting the name, surname and qualification of the registered medical practitioner who signed the certificate.

(5) After entering the required particulars in spaces 1 to 8, the registrar shall call upon the informant to verify the particulars in spaces 1 to 7.

(6) If any error has been made in those particulars, the registrar shall, in the presence of the informant, make the necessary correction as provided in Regulation 54.

(7) The registrar shall then–

(a) call upon the informant to sign the entry in space 9;

(b) enter in space 10 the date on which the entry is made; and

(c) sign the entry in space 11, adding his official description.