The person who registers the death is formally known as the 'the informant'. Only relatives or certain other individuals are qualified by law to register a death. This will also depend on where the death occurred.
When you telephone to make the appointment to register the death, give the name and relationship of the person who will be attending to do the registration to check that they are best person available to do this. It is preferable if the person who is at the top of these lists can do the registration. It can be someone further down the list if someone above cannot carry out the registration for reasons of disability or ill health, they are out of the country or other resons such as being in custody.
If the death occurred inside a house or public building such as a hospital, the following people may register the death:
- A relative
- Someone who was present at the death
- The occupier of the house or an official from the public building where the death occurres, e.g. the hospital
- The person making the arrangements with the funeral director
If the death took place elsewhere, the following list of people may register the death.
- A relative
- Someone who was present at the death
- The person who found the body
- The person who is in charge of the body
- The person making the arrangements with the funeral director
Please note that funeral directors are not permitted to register a death.