Coroners and Justice Act 2009

Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (c. 20)

8 (1) Section 16 (information concerning death in a house) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “any relative of the deceased person” substitute “any person who is a relative or the partner of the deceased and who was”,

(b) in paragraph (b), for “any other relative of the deceased residing or being” substitute “any person who is a relative or the partner of the deceased and who is or resides”, and

(c) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) any personal representative of the deceased;”.

(3) In subsection (3)—

(a) in paragraph (a), for “the nearest relative such” substitute “each such person”,

(b) in paragraph (b)—

(i) for “no such relative” substitute “no such person”, and

(ii) for “each such relative” substitute “each such person”,

(c) in paragraph (c)—

(i) for “if there are no such relatives” substitute “if neither of paragraphs (a) and (b) above applies”, and

(ii) for “paragraph (c) or (d)” substitute “paragraph (ba), (c) or (d)”,

(d) in paragraph (d), for “if there are no such relatives or persons as aforesaid” substitute “if none of paragraphs (a) to (c) above applies”, and

(e) for “five days from the date of the death” substitute “five days from the relevant date”.

(4) In that subsection, for paragraph (ii) of the proviso substitute—

“(ii) this subsection shall not have effect if an investigation is conducted under Part 1 of the 2009 Act into the death of the deceased person and has not been discontinued under section 4 of that Act (cause of death revealed by post-mortem examination).”

(5) After that subsection insert—

“(4) In this section, the expression “the relevant date” means—

(a) the date on which the registrar is notified in accordance with regulations under section 20(1)(f)(i) or (h)(i) of the 2009 Act (confirmation or certification by medical examiner of cause of death); or

(b) where an investigation under Part 1 of that Act into the death of the deceased person is discontinued under section 4 of that Act, the date of the discontinuance.”