Introduction
UK law requires the details of all births, stillbirths, deaths,
marriages and civil partnerships to be recorded officially. The
role of a registrar is to collect this information. Registrars also
perform civil marriage and partnership ceremonies and other
celebratory duties. There are about 1750 registrars in England and
Wales and about 500 in Scotland. Small councils might only employ
one or two registrars, whereas larger councils might have a range
of staff who specialise in different areas of work.
Work Environment
Registrars work in register offices, which are usually based in
based in local council offices. Full and part time
opportunities might be available, but some weekend working is
usually required especially during the summer months as the
majority of registrars will either conduct or register weddings or
civil partnerships. Registrars are also required to cover out of
hours duties in cases of emergency.
Daily Activities
A registrar's main duties can be divided into four of key
areas:
- registering births - the registrar interviews the parents to
find out the details needed for the child's birth certificate. The
registrar then enters the information into the computer and issues
the parents with the relevant documents;
- registering deaths - the registrar checks the documents
describing why the person has died and consults with the doctor or
coroner if anything is out of place. The registrar then interviews
a close family member or friend in order to gain the information
needed for the death certificate and issues the relevant
documentation so that the funeral can go ahead;
- performing civil marriage and civil partnership ceremonies - at
least 16 days before the ceremony takes place, the registrar
interviews the couple to make sure they can legally marry or form a
civil partnership. The registrar checks all relevant documents and
asks the couple to sign formal notices of intention. The registrar
performs the marriage or civil partnership ceremony either at the
register office or another venue with a licence to hold the
ceremony such as a hotel, castle or sports club;
- keeping records - the Superintendent Registrar is responsible
for looking after the birth, deaths and marriage registers in their
district dating back to 1837 when civil registration began in the
UK. Members of the public can request certificates to be issued
from this register for legal or genealogical reasons. Deputy
Registrars usually oversee this work.
In addition there are a number of other areas of work, which an
experienced registrar might learn, for example, officiating at
naming ceremonies, civil funerals, renewals of marriage vows and
citizenship celebrations. Other work might involve helping people
fill in nationality application forms.
Skills & Interests
Registrars need:
- excellent communication skills in order to deal sensitively and
tactfully with a wide range of different people;
- a good knowledge of the law, particularly in relation to birth
and death registration although this is taught "on the job" or by
formal courses run within the Registration service;
- patience and an ability to extract information from people,
some of whom might be in an emotional state;
- the ability to work well in a team and own their own
initiative;
- the ability to understand and explain complex legislation;
- accurate writing skills;
- good organisational and IT skills.
Entry Requirements
There are no minimum entry requirements for registrars in England
and Wales. However, most employers would expect a good level of
education - usually to at least GCSE level or equivalent including
English and maths. In Scotland, applicants need three S-Grades
(1-3) including English. As some of the work requires
registrars to travel around, it is essential to have a full, clean
driving licence and access to a car.
Some people, including doctors, midwives, ministers of religion,
funeral directors and anyone working in the life assurance
industry, or those who have been declared bankrupt or have entered
into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement are not allowed to become
registrars. Applicants will also have to have the appropriate
CRB clearance before they commence duties as a Registrar.
Future Prospects & Opportunities
Registrars might have some opportunities to progress, but it
depends on the size of the council and the amount of staff employed
in the registration office. Some registrars may take on additional
specialist responsibilities. With additional training and
development, there might also be opportunities to move into other
areas of work within the council, for example, legal executive,
administration manager or archivist.
Further Information & Services
General Register Office www.gro.gov.uk
UK Registrars Group www.ukregistrarsgroup.org
You may find further information about this area of work through
Careers Wales (www.careerswales.com/) or
in your local library, careers office or school careers
library.