NHS death registration enquiries

Before beginning a search for a birth relative it is a good idea to check if your birth relative is still alive and living in this country.  There is an easy way for Adoption Support Agencies to do this on your behalf as they have links with the NHS and can check if the birth relative you are looking for is registered with a GP in England and Wales

Even if you are conducting your own search, this is an important step as it may save you time and money, so do talk to your adoption advisor about this.

The check takes a few weeks and will give accurate information about whether someone is registered with a GP in England and Wales or has died (even if they have changed their name on marriage or by deed poll).  The only slight difficulty is that the record won’t let you know if your relative has died or emigrated within the last three months. The NHS also does not provide information about current name or geographical location and so you will still need to search.

For more information about these searches visit https://digital.nhs.uk/services/adoption-registration-service/death-registration-enquiries