Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 (c. 20)

Part II E+W Registration of Deaths

19 Registrar’s power to require information concerning death. E+W

[F1 (A1) This section applies where, after the expiration of the relevant period from—

(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 a person's death is discontinued under section 4 of that Act (cause of death becoming clear before inquest), the date of the discontinuance,

the death of that person has, owing to the default of the persons required to give information concerning it, not been registered.]

(1) [F1 The registrar may] by notice in writing require any qualified informant—

(a) to attend personally at the registrar’s office, or at some other place appointed by the registrar within his sub–district, before such date (being not less than seven days after the receipt of the notice nor more than twelve months from the date of the death or of the finding of the body) as may be specified in the notice; and

(b) to give information to the best of the informant’s knowledge and belief of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death; and

(c) to sign the register in the presence of the registrar:

Provided that any such requirement shall cease to have effect if, before the date specified in the notice and before the person to whom the notice is given complies with it, either—

(i)

the death is duly registered; or

(ii)

[F2 an investigation under Part 1 of the 2009 Act is conducted into the death of the deceased person and has not been discontinued under section 4 of that Act].

(2) In this section, the expression “the relevant period” means—

(a) where notice has been duly given to the registrar in accordance with the last foregoing section, fourteen days;

(b) in any other case, five days.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 19(A1) and words substituted for words in s. 19(1) (9.9.2024) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(4)(e), Sch. 21 para. 11(2) (with s. 180) (as amended by 2022 c. 35, ss. 39(6)(b), 51(3)); S.I. 2024/516, art. 3(d)

F2 Words in s. 19(1) substituted (25.7.2013) by Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (c. 25), s. 182(4)(e), Sch. 21 para. 11(3) (with s. 180); S.I. 2013/1869, art. 2(o)(iv)