Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Registrar and Bereavement Services Support

Weddings and Civil Ceremonies

From Thursday 31 December, due to Tier 4 restrictions, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

Information for bereaved families

The Council is aware that the current COVID-19 crisis will be impacting significantly on the experiences of bereaved families.

We are working hard to do what we can to help you through what we know will be a difficult time and grief support is available through Cruse Bereavement Care.

A helpline is open Monday and Friday 9.30am – 5pm (excluding bank holidays) and until 8pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

You can call the helpline on 080 8808 1677

Important information for anyone registering a death

The Registrars are available to register deaths and stillbirths by telephone appointment.

Appointments can be made by calling Registration Services on 01642 527 720

Important information for anyone arranging or attending a funeral

Stockton Crematorium is open however in order to support national guidelines on social distancing, ceremonies are restricted to a maximum of 30 people inside the Maplewood Chapel and 15 inside Bluebell Chapel. The number of people able to watch the service from the outside screens is 15.

In line with Government guidance people attending services at the crematorium are required to wear face coverings.

Burials are still taking place and the number of people able to attend the graveside for burial service is 30.

For further advice and information please contact the Bereavement Services team on [email protected] or 01642 527 720

Birth Registration

Face to face appointments for registration of births have now resumed. To make an appointment to register a birth please contact the Register Office.

We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls. We are prioritising birth registrations from the babies date of birth and ceremonies from when they were originally cancelled due to the pandemic.