A KINGSTEIGNTON woman has expressed her frustration at the delays she experienced registering her husband’s death with the registry office.

Carol Phillips sought to register her husband's death with Teignbridge Registry office in the wake of his passing on Monday, May 29.

In England a death must be registered within five days, but the earliest appointment Carol could make was June 10.

‘I am a person who lives within the law’ Carol said.

‘I am in a state of limbo, the delay drags out the grief.

‘I have been crying, but now I am angry’ she added.

Carol highlighted the issue that, should she of needed access to her husband’s finances, for example, she would have been unable, at least until the appropriate paperwork was completed, which could not begin in earnest without her husband’s death being registered first.

‘It is close to two weeks, it’s a long time’ Carol said.

‘I am okay financially, but it could be a real problem for some people’ she added.

Carol was offered to register with either Exeter or Tavistock, and while both could offer a sooner date, neither was within the five day requirement.

A spokesperson for the Devon Registration Service said: ‘We offer appointments at the resident’s chosen office but if they need an appointment sooner then we will do our best to ensure this can be accommodated at a different office. 

‘It is currently a legal requirement that all deaths are registered as soon as possible, and we work hard to register deaths within five days.

‘However given that this includes weekends and bank holidays and we are required to wait for the paperwork to be produced by the doctor, and in most cases  scrutinised by the Medical Examiner, unfortunately the five day timeframe is not always possible. 

‘From September 9, 2024, the Medical Examiner service will become statutory, and the five day period will then start from when the registrar receives the paperwork from the Medical Examiner.

‘Generally, a funeral cannot be booked for approximately four weeks after the death has occurred. At this point we will always ensure that the paperwork is ready.’