Marriage and civil partnership
We are following the advice and guidance from Welsh Government on social distancing and public behaviour. This means the content and format of marriage and civil partnership ceremonies has been reviewed and we have introduced restrictions on the number of people permitted in our ceremony rooms at one time.
Physical distancing will help ensure that officers and visitors are safe and to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The maximum number of people permitted in each room is:
- Register Office – 6 people
- Ceremony Room – 14 people
These figures include two Registrars and the couple.
We will contact couples who have booked a ceremony on a month by month basis. Our priority is to resume ceremonies that are scheduled to take place at the Register Office in July and August before accepting new bookings from September onwards. All bookings will be subject to availability.
We currently conduct ceremonies at approved premises (i.e. hotels) following the social distancing guidelines. We appreciate this uncertainty makes planning difficult and we are very sorry for all couples who are affected by this situation.
Here are some useful questions and answers for couples:
From what date can marriages be solemnized, and civil partnerships formed?
In Wales marriages can be solemnized and civil partnerships formed from 22 June. In England this can take place from 4 July.
Where a person is shielding, can a marriage be solemnized, or a civil partnership formation take place remotely by video conferencing technology?
No, there is no provision within current legislation for a virtual marriage or civil partnership to take place.
Can couples who have already given notice proceed with their marriage / civil partnership if they wish to do so?
Yes, as long as the authorities are still valid and the venue remains the same.
What happens if a notice has been previously given for a venue that is now closed?
A fresh notice is required if the venue changes for a marriage or civil partnership.
The grounds of the register office are lovely – as there is less risk outside can the ceremony take place there instead?
No. A marriage or civil partnership must take place within the venue as detailed on the notice and authority, and as specified in the approval of the premises. The outside space is not included as part of the venue.
Why can’t witnesses use video technology to witness the ceremony?
There is still a requirement within legislation for 2 witnesses to attend to witness a marriage or civil partnership and then sign the register.
Births
Registrations for births that occurred in Anglesey will resume from 1 July, 2020.
Provision has now been made for the registration of births to be undertaken by telephone in-part. This will help us to follow the Government’s guidance on social distancing and public behaviour. To complete the registration, a parent/parents must sign the register in person at the Register Office and we will discuss the arrangements for this when booking an appointment.
For registration of babies born in other counties, please contact the Register Office in the county where the birth occurred e.g.
• Ysbyty Gwynedd
To make an appointment for telephone registration please call the Register Office on 01248 751925 (6) or (7).
Parents can continue to make a claim for child benefit or universal credit prior to the birth being registered, where they have not been able to do so because of these measures.
Further information can be found on https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim
Deaths and still-births
Provision has now been made for the registration of deaths to be undertaken by telephone. This will help the Registration Service follow the Government’s guidance on essential travel, social distancing and public behaviour. The Registration Service is also working closely with health practitioners to share information electronically to remove the requirement for bereaved families to visit the Register Officer during the current emergency situation.
To make an appointment for telephone registration please call the Register Office on 01248 751925 (6) or (7)
Tell Us Once is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go.
When someone dies, there are lots of things that need to be done. One of these things is contacting the government departments and local council services that need to be told.
Reporting a death using the Tell Us Once service
How the service can help you
When someone has died, their death needs to be registered with the Registrar. Once that’s done, several other organisations may have to be contacted and given the same information such as social care services, benefits support, blue badge, libraries, driver and vehicle licensing agencies and passport services for example.
We are offering the ‘Tell us Once’ service which we hope will make things easier for you. Just tell us and we will contact the government departments and council services that need to be told so you don’t have to.
How does it work?
When you call us to make your appointment to register a death at the Register Office, the Tell Us Once service will be explained to you and you will be asked if you wish to take part. If you choose to take part, the Registrar will set up the details on the Tell Us Once national database. This usually takes around five minutes at the end of the registration.
Once the details have been entered on to the national database, a full Tell Us Once interview can then be carried out. This can be done either face-to-face (with an Anglesey registrar) or over the telephone at a later date.
The information you give us will be treated securely and confidentially.
The organisations who are contacted will use the information to update their records and to resolve any outstanding issues. They may use the information in other ways, but only as the law allows.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that all organisations that pay you a benefit/credit or provide a service to you have correct and up to date information about you.
Face-to-face appointment
You can book a face-to-face Tell Us Once appointment with one of our registrars at the same time as registering a death or at a later date if that’s more convenient.
Please call 01248 751 925/26/27 to book an appointment and let us know which you prefer to do.
To make sure the right information is given to any organisations we contact for you and so that you get the most out of the service it will help if you can bring along with you the following information.
What you will need
- Their National Insurance number and date of birth.
- Details of any benefits or services they were receiving.
- Their death certificate.
- Their passport number (if you want us to inform the Passport Service).
- Their driver’s licence number (if you want us to inform the DVLA).
We may also ask you for information about:
- their next of kin
- any surviving husband, wife or civil partner
- the person dealing with their estate
- anybody who is getting child benefit on their behalf
If you are the next of kin, you may be entitled to an increase in benefits, so please have your own National Insurance number to hand when you contact us.
If you are not the next of kin, or the person who is dealing with the deceased’s estate, you can still use the service if you have the authority to act on their behalf.
You must obtain the agreement of the persons listed above if you are going to provide us with information about them before you use the service.
How we will treat your information
The information you give us will be treated securely and confidentially.
The organisations who are contacted will use the information to update benefits, credits or help to end or start up services and to resolve any outstanding issues. They may use the information in other ways, but only as the law allows.
Please remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that all organisations, that pay you a benefit/credit or provide a service to you, have correct and up to date information about you.