Presumption of Death Bill 2012-13

A Bill presented by John Glen MP to make provision in relation to the presumed death of missing persons.

The Bill would enable the families of people either missing or presumed dead to be issued with a certificate stating that the person is presumed dead.  The certificate would have the same legal strength as a death certificate and could be used in legal situations such as the closing of bank accounts and when dividing an estate.

Earlier in this parliamentary session, Baroness Kramer tabled a similar Bill, which sought to declare that someone who was missing for more than seven years since their last sighting would be pronounced as dead.