Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of guidance issued to register office staff on supporting families with a bereavement.

The General Register Office for England and Wales is responsible for ensuring that all deaths occurring within England and Wales are registered in accordance with the law. This forms part of the UK’s system of civil registration. Register office staff are required to record certain personal details of the deceased, such as their name and date of birth/age, place, date, and cause of death.

The General Register Office has no responsibility to provide register office staff with guidance to support families following a bereavement.