# Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, Section 16: Information concerning death in a house.

Extent: E+W

(1) The following provisions of this section shall have effect where a person dies in a house.
(2) The following persons shall be qualified to give information concerning the death, that is to say—
(a) any person who is a relative or the partner of the deceased and who was present at the death or in attendance during his last illness;
(b) any person who is a relative or the partner of the deceased and who is or resides in the sub–district where the death occurred;
(ba) any personal representative of the deceased;
(c) any person present at the death;
(d) the occupier of the house if he knew of the happening of the death;
(e) any inmate of the house who knew of the happening of the death;
(f) the person causing the disposal of the body.
(3) It shall be the duty—
(a) of each such person as is mentioned in paragraph (a) of the last foregoing subsection; or
(b) if there is no such person, of each such person as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection; or
(c) if neither of paragraphs (a) and (b) above applies, of each such person as is mentioned in paragraph (ba), (c) or (d) of that subsection; or
(d) if none of paragraphs (a) to (c) above applies, of each such person as is mentioned in paragraph (e) or (f) of that subsection,
to give to the registrar, before the expiration of five days from the relevant date, information to the best of his knowledge and belief of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death, and in the presence of the registrar to sign the register:
Provided that—
(i)the giving of information and the signing of the register by any one qualified informant shall act as a discharge of any duty under this subsection of every other qualified informant;
(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 becoming clear before inquest).
(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.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/20/section/16 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/births-and-deaths-registration-act-1953/section-16
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.