Westmorland and Furness Council privacy notice Registration Service

Our registration service is responsible for: 

  • registration of births, deaths, marriages & civil partnerships
  • preliminaries to marriage and civil partnerships 
  • conversion from civil partnership to marriage
  • management of the citizenship ceremony process and citizenship ceremonies on behalf of the home office 
  • custodian of the registers for births, deaths and marriages from 1837
  • updating the registers for adoptions, corrections, re-registrations, space 17 name given in baptism and not in baptism
  • production of copy certificates of births, deaths and marriages upon payment and positive identification of the entry 
  • statutory elements of ceremony delivery
  • registration of buildings as a place of worship and place of marriage
  • oversight of all non-secular ceremonies, paperwork and appointment of authorised persons
  • delivery of end-of-life ceremonies at short notice

The three elements of the registration service

Customer front door 

Most incoming communications by telephone and email are handled by officers in the service centre operations team who have been trained and provided guidance notes and maps of the customer enquiries. Appointment bookings are made via this team. All complex queries are passed to our Registration team however these would all be part of a statutory requirement

Ceremonies

The ceremonial element of ceremony delivery is delivered by the service centre. The registration service still has statutory oversight of this operation, but delivery is through the service centre ceremonies team. Any discretionary services will be detailed in the return from service centre.

Statutory and regulatory service delivery

The statutory elements of the service are delivered by the registration service under the leadership of the Superintendent Registrar and Proper Officer. This team deliver all legal registration activity, are accountable for the performance of the service and compliance with GRO requirements and standards; and the team manages the relationship with the GRO. There are no discretionary services offered by this team. 

Future legislative changes 

The Electronic Communications Act allows much of the paperwork for birth and death registrations to be shared electronically. Medical professionals can now send information directly to the registration service, which can also pass details on to cemeteries and crematoria for burial or cremation.

HM Passport Office (HMPO) is developing a digital portal to allow medical certificates of cause of death to be sent electronically instead of using paper forms with a wet signature. Once the portal reaches beta testing, HMPO plans to move to a second phase. This will give people the option to register all births and deaths by telephone.

This change will make the service more flexible and resilient. It will not reduce workload and may increase it, but it will benefit people across Cumbria by allowing them to register from home rather than attending in person. This approach was used for death registrations during COVID‑19 and received positive feedback from customers and stakeholders.

From 9 September 2024, the Medical Examiner role became a statutory function. This removed the need for the service to refer cases to HM Coroner. The Superintendent Registrar remains responsible for ensuring that the ceremony element of the service meets all legal requirements.

What information we collect

We’re required to process either your personal, special category and sensitive or criminal and law enforcement data. This is to meet legal obligations and make robust recommendations and decisions.

Personal data requirements

Registration of births

The personal data requirements include:

  • marital status of parents 
  • if multiple births 
  • date of birth of child
  • names of child
  • sex of child 
  • where the child was born 
  • fathers’ names and any former names 
  • where father was born 
  • occupation of father 
  • name, previous names, otherwise known as and maiden name of mother  
  • where mother was born 
  • occupation of mother 
  • addresses at present and address at time of baby’s birth 

Registration of death 

The personal data requirements include:

  • date of death 
  • where person died 
  • date of birth of deceased 
  • where deceased was born 
  • marital status 
  • occupation 
  • employment status 
  • name of spouse or civil partner if applicable 
  • occupation of spouse or civil partner 
  • employment status of spouse or civil partner 
  • usual address 
  • cause of death 
  • informant’s name 
  • informant’s relationship to deceased 
  • informant’s address 

Notice of intent to marry or form a civil partnership 

The personal data requirements include:

  • opposite or same sex ceremony 
  • name, previous names, otherwise known as and maiden name
  • date of birth 
  • nationality 
  • place, date and time of ceremony 
  • sex 
  • marital status 
  • address and how long at address 
  • parents details 
  • telephone details for home and mobile 
  • date of divorce, annulment, death, dissolution 
  • relationships to each other 
  • occupation  

Office of National Statistics (ONS) mandatory and voluntary statistical collection – births 

The personal data requirements include:

  • month and year of marriage 
  • father date of birth 
  • mothers date of birth 
  • any other living children 
  • any previous still-born children 
  • employment status 
  • which industry they work in

Office of National Statistics (ONS) mandatory and voluntary statistical collection – deaths 

The personal data requirements include:

  • date of birth of spouse or civil partner
  • how long in a communal establishment (if applicable) 
  • tell us once
  • full names 
  • date of birth 
  • house number and postcode 
  • date of death certificate services 
  • applicants name 
  • applicants address 
  • applicants telephone number and email address 
  • delivery address 
  • relationship to the person(s) on the certificate 
  • name of person(s) on certificate 
  • date of birth, death, marriage, or civil partnership 
  • where the event took place 
  • details of parents, spouses, partners

Special category data requirements

The special category data requirements include:

  • gender
  • health 
  • religion 
  • nationality
  • sex life or sexual orientation 

Criminal and law enforcement data

Criminal and law enforcement data is not required.

How we collect your data 

We’ll collect data from you by:

  • telephone
  • online forms 
  • appointment booking systems for births, deaths, stillbirths, marriages and civil partnerships
  • online payment systems, for example registration certificates
  • face to face, for example registration interviews 
  • using the Tell Us Once service

Why we collect your data

We collect your data so we can: 

  • meet legal obligations
  • make robust recommendations and decisions

Who we share your personal data with

We may share your data with:

  • business associates and other professional advisers 
  • courts, prisons and tribunals 
  • credit reference agencies 
  • current, past and prospective employers
  • customers
  • customs and excise
  • data processors
  • debt collection and tracing agencies
  • educators and examining bodies 
  • employees and agents of the data controller 
  • family, associates or representatives of the person whose personal data we are processing. Such as next of kin, Power of Attorney, and guardians
  • financial organisations 
  • fire authorities
  • healthcare, social and welfare organisations and professionals 
  • housing associations and landlords 
  • international law enforcement agencies and bodies 
  • law enforcement and prosecuting authorities 
  • legal representatives 
  • licensing authorities 
  • local and central government departments 
  • local government Ombudsman and Information Commissioner 
  • partner agencies, approved organisations and individuals working with the police 
  • persons making an enquiry or complaint 
  • police complaints authority 
  • police forces
  • political organisations 
  • press and the media 
  • private investigators 
  • professional advisers and consultants 
  • professional bodies 
  • providers of goods and services 
  • regulatory bodies 
  • religious organisations 
  • security companies 
  • service providers 
  • students and pupils including their relatives, guardians, carers or representatives 
  • survey and research organisations 
  • the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
  • trade unions 
  • voluntary and charitable organisations 
  • other departments within the council to allow us to provide efficient and effective services

We may receive personal, special category personal or criminal and law enforcement data about you from the third parties mentioned above and other public bodies and organisations.  In this case, we will tell you the source of the information unless we are unable to do so by law.

We process personal data by selecting at least one legal basis from:

  • UKGDPR Article 6(1) (a) Consent
  • UKGDPR Article 6(1) (c) Legal Obligation
  • UKGDPR Article 6(1) (e) Public Task/Public Interest/Official Authority 

Where we’re relying on UKGDPR Article 6(1)(c), all relevant legislation is listed below.

We process special category personal data under the condition of UKGDPR Article 9(2) (g) Substantial public interest.

Relevant legislation  

Births and deaths

The relevant legislation includes:

  • Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953
  • Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 (SI 1987/2088)
  • Registration of Births and Deaths (Welsh Language) regulations 1987 (SI 1987/2089)
  • The Deregulation (Still-Birth and Death Registration) Order 1996 (SI 1996/2395)
  • The Contracting Out (functions of the Registrar General in relation to authoring re registration of births) Order 1997 (SI 1997/962) 
  • The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers of Other Records) Order 2002 (SI 2002/1419)  
  • The Registration of Births and Deaths (Electronic Communications and Electronic Storage) Order 2006 (SI 2006/2809) 
  • Legitimacy Act 1976 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2006 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2007 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) No.2 Regulations 2007 
  • The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 
  • The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 
  • The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Regulations 2009 
  • The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 
  • The Welfare Reform Act 2009 
  • The Presumption of Death Act 2013 
  • Births and Deaths 
  • Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953
  • Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987 (SI 1987/2088) 
  • Registration of Births and Deaths (Welsh Language) regulations 1987 (SI 1987/2089) 
  • The Deregulation (Still-Birth and Death Registration) Order 1996 (SI 1996/2395) 
  • The Contracting Out (functions of the Registrar General in relation to authoring re registration of births) Order 1997 (SI 1997/962)  
  • The Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers of Other Records) Order 2002 (SI 2002/1419) 
  • The Registration of Births and Deaths (Electronic Communications and Electronic Storage) Order 2006 (SI 2006/2809) 
  • Legitimacy Act 1976  
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2006 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2007 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) No.2 Regulations 2007 
  • The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 
  • The Human Fertilisation and Embyology Act 2008 
  • The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Regulations 2009 
  • The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 
  • The Welfare Reform Act 2009 
  • The Presumption of Death Act 2013 
  • The Medical Certificate Cause of Death Regulations 2024 

Marriages 

  • Marriage Act 1949 
  • The Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/1442) 
  • The Marriage Act 1994 
  • The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3177) 
  • The Reporting of Suspicious Marriages and Registration of Marriages (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/3164) 
  • The Registration of Marriages (Welsh Language) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/1621) 
  • The Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004 
  • The Immigration (Procedure for Marriage) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/2678) 
  • The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3168) 
  • The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 
  • The Equality Act 2010 
  • The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Approved Premises) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 10 
  • The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 
  • The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 
  • Immigration Act 2014 
  • The Registration of Marriages Regulations 2015 
  • The Marriage (Authorised Persons) and Civil Partnership (Registration Provisions) (Amendments) Regulations 2015 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages and Registration of Civil Partnerships (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2015 
  • The Referral of Proposed Marriages and Civil Partnerships Regulations 2015 
  • Marriage (Registrar General’s Licence) Act 1970 

Adoptions 

  • Adoptions and Children Act 2002 
  • The Adopted Children and Adoption Contact Registers Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/924) 
  • The Adoption Information and Intermediary Services (Pre-commencement) Adoptions Regulations (SI 2005/890)

Civil Partnership 

  • The Civil Partnership Act 2004 
  • The Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3168) 
  • The Reporting of Suspicious Civil Partnerships Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3174) 
  • The Civil Partnership (Registration Provisions) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3176) 
  • The Immigration (Procedure for Formation of Civil Partnerships) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/2979)

Gender Recognition 

  • Gender Recognition Act 2004 
  • The Gender Recognition Register Regulations 2005 (SI2005/912) 

Local authorities and miscellaneous legislation

  • The Registration Service Act 1953 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Regulations 1968 
  • Statistics and Registration Act 2007 
  • The Freedom of Information Act 2000 
  • The Data Protection Act 1998 
  • Mental Capacity Act 2005 
  • Equality Act 2010 

Fees 

  • The Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Fees) Regulations 2016 
  • The Registration of Civil Partnerships (Fees) (No. 2) Order 2005 (SI 2005/3167)
  • The Registration of Civil Partnerships (Fees) Order 2005 (SI 2005/3177) 
  • The Registration of Civil Partnership (Fees)(Amendment) Order 2010 
  • The Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages (Fees)(Amendment) Order 2012 
  • Immigration Act 2016 
  • Regulation of Birth and Death, Marriage and Civil Partnership (Fees)(Amendment) Regulations 2017