Change or cancel a presumption of death certificate
Attend a hearing
You’ll have to attend a hearing about your claim with a High Court judge - this should be within 2 months of making your claim.
Bring any relevant documents.
Your claim may be challenged by someone who’s received a copy of the claim form or seen the advert.
At the hearing you might:
- be asked for more information - the court will tell you how to get a court order if someone’s refusing to give you information you need
- be told there has to be another hearing - there may be several hearings before a decision is made
If the court agrees with your application, you’ll get the order changed or cancelled at the hearing or by letter later.
Get a certificate of presumed death
Apply to the General Register Office for a certificate of presumed death.
You can only do this after you have a declaration of presumed death that is not appealed and the time for appealing against the decision has passed.
You can usually apply for the certificate 21 days after you get the declaration, unless there’s an appeal or an application for permission to appeal the decision.
The certificate can be used like a normal death certificate, eg to deal with a missing person’s estate.
It costs £9.25.
The certificate will state when the missing person is presumed to have died.
Call the General Register Office to get a certificate.
General Register Office
Telephone: 0300 123 1837
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, 9am to 4pm
Find out about call charges
Appeal a decision
Call or write to the Civil Appeals Office to appeal against the High Court’s decision.
Civil Appeals Office
Telephone: 0207 947 7121
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Civil Appeals Office
Room E307
Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Make a complaint
Use the complaints guidance if you’re not happy with the way you’ve been treated.
You cannot complain about the decision.