Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice

Amend how details, relationships and surnames are listed on Death Certificates.

Closed 40 signatures

What the petition asks

Add a box to the Death Certificate for the last person who had a formalised union with the deceased during their lifetime, thus ensuring Box 6 'Occupation & usual address' will only list such.
Alter the title of Box 4 from 'Maiden surname of woman who has married' to 'Surname change of the deceased'.

The legal recognition of a romantic union between two people shouldn't be classed as an occupation and inequality between the sexes shouldn't be part of our culture but entries on the current Death Certificate suggest otherwise. The last document relevant to the life of the deceased should separate their professional life from their personal life and the document itself shouldn't be sexist. Being aligned with another in one's lifetime isn't a 'job' and males sometimes change their surnames too.

Timeline

29 Jul 2021 Petition opened for signatures
29 Jan 2022 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 40
Status Closed
Department Ministry of Justice
Opened 29 Jul 2021
Closed 29 Jan 2022

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.