Guidance

Advice for applicants

Updated 15 February 2023

Applies to England and Wales

Data

What the data includes

The data will include all deaths that are registered in the UK. The majority of information provided will be available in the weekly data file within 7 days of the death being registered.

The data items that will be provided are:

• forename (s) and surname

• alias name (if used by the deceased and entered onto the registration)

• date of birth

• date of death

• place of birth (if held)

• usual address including postcode

• sex

• maiden name (if held)

Available products

Customers receive weekly deaths data from the point when their licences are signed. This will continue, but there are also 2 new products available:

• gap data – a list of deaths registered between 1 January 2007 and 30 September 2008. Currently only England and Wales gap data is available

• back data – customers who did not join the scheme at the start will be offered a list of deaths registered from the start of the scheme in September 2008 until their licences were signed

Cost of the new products

The gap data for England and Wales will be offered for a one-off fee of £1,000. The cost of the back data is £47 for each week of data provided.

Information included in the new products

The new products contain the same data items as on the weekly file (see available products above).

Data format

The data will be provided in XML format. A test file and XML schema will be sent to your organisation if you are successful at the first stage of the application process.

How the data is supplied

Data is normally supplied securely over the internet each Friday.

Obtaining information for a particular demographic group or geographical area

The standard service from the outset of the scheme is for the provision of a weekly electronic file of new deaths registered within the UK. If from the outset an organisation wishes to obtain information solely from England and Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland they should contact the respective General Register Office (see contact details).

Receiving information more or less frequently than weekly in different formats

The same answer applies as above.

Deaths of UK nationals that die overseas

Information containing details of UK nationals that die overseas is not included in the scheme.

Receiving corrections

There are a limited number of these cases. Corrections to any of the data items listed in What the data includes will be provided via the weekly file.

Obtaining other data items in addition to those listed above such as cause of death

If there is a need to obtain additional information on a particular record data, recipients are able to obtain a “certified copy” (certificate) of the death registration on payment of the statutory fee from the respective GRO (see contact details).

Stillbirths

Stillbirths are not included in the data.

Eligibility

Overseas companies

The data provided by the GRO must be stored, processed and accessed within the UK.

Use of information

Why the use of the information is limited to the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of offences

Individuals or organisations that apply for the information will need to provide evidence about how they intend to use the information to meet this purpose.

A typical example would be to combat identity fraud. If the application is approved the licences will be explicit that the information can only be used for this purpose.

GRO will be putting in place a compliance regime to check that organisations are meeting the terms of the licences.

Passing information on to another organisation

The licences will only allow the onward disclosure of information for specific purposes, such as information on a specific record where an offence has been identified. The scheme does not allow organisations to onwardly disclose death information in bulk to another organisation.

Costs

Charges

If you are successful in progressing to Stage 2, a security fee of £5,000 will be charged. Subject to final approval of Stage 2, a quarterly fee for the provision of data will be charged as follows:

• annual fee: £57000.00 (to be paid quarterly in advance: £14,250.00)

How the fees have been calculated

The GROs have calculated their costs of supplying the information and administering the scheme. The charges have been calculated to recover these costs in line with HM Treasury guidance.

Reviewal of fees

The GROs review their income and expenditure on an annual basis. This may result in changes to the level of fees.

Components of the scheme

Joint scheme covering the UK

Although the scheme is administered by the DDRI team at GRO (E&W), the Registrars General at each GRO are responsible for their respective records and the applicable law pertaining to licences in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland differs, therefore separate licences are required for each country.

Customer support

We have a dedicated helpdesk that will be able to answer queries and resolve any issues. You will be able to contact them by email or by phone between Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.30pm.

Email: datagro@gro.gov.uk

Visits from GRO staff or representatives

It is a requirement for the scheme and will be a condition within the licences that GRO staff or representatives have the right to visit and will conduct audits on how the data is being stored, processed and accessed.

The Registrars General have a responsibility to ensure that organisations are using information that is disclosed under this scheme in line with the licence agreements.

Application process

It is possible that it will take approximately 3 months from receipt of the application to a decision on whether to provide information.

However, it could take a longer or shorter time depending on individual circumstances. The provision of data will then follow after the licences have been signed and fee paid.

If your application is refused

Applicants, if they feel they have the grounds to do so, may apply to have the decision reviewed. This does not affect any rights that applicants would have to challenge a decision through established legal routes.

The security standards that organisations need to comply with

In line with government data security standards, any organisation who receives DDRI data must be able to satisfy the Registrars General that they are able to safeguard the integrity of the information provided and that they have procedures in place to ensure that it is not made available to unauthorised persons.

Organisations will be required to complete a security assessment form as part of the application process. The form will ask for details of:

• physical security at the sites where the data will be stored, processed or accessed

• data security procedures

• organisational security policies

• staff training in data security issues

How long licences last

The licences will last for a period of 3 years. During the licence period there will be ongoing communication with customers to ensure that the information is being used in line with the licences.

Miscellaneous

Stopping deceased relatives’ information being shared

This scheme is intended to share information on all deaths to ensure that those who would attempt to hijack the identity of the deceased are thwarted in their plans.

The information that is contained within a death registration is publicly available through searchable indexes and the purchase of a certified copy of any death registration.

Data Protection Act

The Data Protection Act does not apply to information relating to the deceased.

Obtaining birth or other registration items under this scheme

The Disclosure of Death Registration Information scheme is solely for death registration information. The legal framework does not support the provision of all other UK registration information to customers.

Access to individual records can be achieved by obtaining a certified copy using the web links in answer to Question 30. Requests to obtain bulk birth or other registration information should be directed to the individual GROs.

Recording the fact of death against a record that relates to a living person

The licence will not indemnify you and will be explicit that the recipients of the information will take responsibility for the consequences of any errors where they have caused the record of a living person to be marked as deceased.

Eligibility for obtaining information for Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales

If your organisation falls into any of the categories covered by the legislation that specifies you can obtain information for Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales then you can apply for the information.

If you can satisfy the Registrars General that the information will be used for the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of offences and the RGs are content with your organisation’s security arrangements, the relevant legal processes will need to be followed to lay further statutory instruments before Parliament.

Obtaining a copy of the licence agreement

Organisations that are invited to progress to Stage 2 of the application process will be provided with a copy of a draft licence.

Other services available from the 3 GROs

You can obtain further information about the other services the 3 GROs provide by visiting their respective websites:

• GRO England & Wales

• GRO Scotland

• GRO Northern Ireland