Qualified informants

The law states that a person who registers a death must be a qualified informant.
This normally means they are related to the deceased by blood, marriage, civil partnership or legal adoption.
Occassionally, where there are no living relatives other people may take over this responsibility for registering the death.
The priority of people qualified to inform of a death is defined in law in the following order:
A relative of the deceased present at the death
A relative of the deceased
A relative of the deceased in attendance during the last illness
Any other person present at the death
The occupier/manager of the premises where the death occurred
Someone who is arranging the funeral - ie. Instructing the funeral director and arranging payment of the funeral account
A person in charge of the deceased's body
Normally, it is not possible for someone in the above list to pass responsibility to someone further down it.
Executors of estates and legal representatives are not able to register unless they are classed as a qualified informant.
The Registrar will normally agree to accept a qualified informant from further down the list only when a better qualified informant can demonstrate that registration would cause them undue distress or hardship.
Where qualified informants are not able to reach the Register Office the process of registering death by declaration can be used.
The information provided in this section is for guidance only and is not a full expression of the law.
For further information or to make an appointment please contact the Registration Service

You should allow about half an hour to complete the registration process.

Documents required to be taken with you
1. Medical Certificate of Death
2. Medical Card if available
3. Birth Certificate and information regarding date of birth

Information required to Register
1. Date and place of death
2. Full name of deceased (maiden name if applicable)
3. Date and place of birth
4. Occupation and home address
5. If married, full name and occupation of surviving spouse

Certificates
Disposal Certificate for the Funeral Director (Green Form)
Social Security Certificate to be handed in at the D.S.S Offices with any pension books
Copies of Entry of Death for bank, insurance, solicitors

Local Registry Offices:
For Deaths in the Somerset Area:
Burnham-On-Sea Register Office
Tel: 01278 793990
(Opening Times: Wednesday and Thursday 10am- 5.30pm)
The Old Court House, Jaycroft Road, Burnham-On-Sea. TA8 1LE.

Bridgwater Register Office
Tel: 01278 422527
Morgan House, Mount Street, Bridgwater. TA6 3ER.

Wells Register Office
Tel: 01749 675355
(Opening Times 9am – 1.30pm except Wed)
Town Hall, Market Place, Wells. BA5 2RB.

For Deaths in the North Somerset Area:
Weston-Super-Mare Register Office
Tel 01934 627 552
Open 9am-12.30pm and 2-4pm Monday to Friday
41, The Boulevard, Weston-Super-Mare. BS23 1PG.

Clevedon Register Office
Tel 01934 627 552
37a Old Church Road, Clevedon, BS21 6NN.
Open 9am-12.30pm Monday to Friday.

For Deaths in the Bristol Area:
Bristol Register Office:
Tel: 01179 222800
The Old Council House, Corn Street, Bristol. BS1 1JG.

Registering a death by declaration

When a death occurs within the registration district, it must be registered with the Registration Service normally within five days.

If you cannot make it to a Register Office in the area where the death occurred, you can register the death by declaration at another Register Office more convenient to you in England or Wales.

The death must be registered by a qualified informant - this is usually someone related to the deceased by blood or marriage.

Your declaration will then be sent to our offices where we will register the death for you.

You should contact the Register Office where you plan to make the declaration and tell them where the death occurred.

They will then contact the Registration Service in the deceased registration area for information to help complete the declaration.

More time should be allowed for funerals when following this process to allow for the burial or cremation documents to reach you.

The death certificate will then be sent to you by post by the relevant Registration Service. This is called registration by declaration.

The information provided in this section is for guidance only and is not a full expression of the law.