Birth Registration - Frequently Asked Questions
Just follow the links below for answers to frequently asked questions about registering a birth.
- How do I register a birth?
- How long is the appointment?
- What documents do I need to bring to the appointment?
- How long do I have to register a birth after the baby is born?
- Can I still register my child after 42 days?
- I don't speak English very well. What do I do?
- What is the difference between a short or full birth certificate?
- How much does a birth certificate cost?
- Who can register a birth?
- If the baby was born in another borough, can I still register the birth in Hackney?
- Can I register a still-birth?
- Can I register a miscarriage?
- How can I change my child’s name?
- I have changed my name by Deed Poll. How do I change the details on my birth certificate?
- How do I correct an error?
How do I register a birth?
Please call Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000 to make a birth registration appointment. When you call, you'll need to provide:
- the mother’s surname
- the hospital or address where the baby was born in Hackney
- the baby’s date of birth
- your contact details
At the appointment you 'll also need to provide:
- the baby's forename(s), surname and sex
- the parents' forenames, surnames and places of birth
- the mother's maiden surname
- the mother's address
- the number of other children the mother has
- the parents' occupations
- the date of parent's marriage if applicable
To register a birth in Hackney, the baby must have been born in Hackney. If the baby was born in another borough, you have to register them at the register office there or make a declaration through Hackney Register Office.
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How long is the appointment?
It takes about 20 minutes to register a birth.
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What documents do I need to bring to the appointment?
The City and Hackney health authority informs us of births in the borough. However, it’s useful to bring
- the mother’s hospital discharge papers (obstetric summary)
- the parents’ passports so we can check spelling for names and places of birth.
How long do I have to register a birth after the baby is born?
You are legally required to register your baby's birth within forty-two days of the date of birth.
Can I still register my child after the 42 days?
Yes, but further information and permissions may be need. Please contact Hackney Registration Services for more information using the details at the top-right hand corner of this page.
I don’t speak English very well. What do I do?
You can bring a friend or relative along to help you understand and answer the registrar's questions – but you have to sign the register yourself.
What is the difference between a short or full birth certificate?
- A short certificate is a certified copy of the birth register entry which you will be given free of charge. It shows the baby's name, surname, date and district of birth. You need this to register the child with a GP and to claim for child benefit.
- A full certificate includes the parents’ details as well as the baby’s, and it is needed for passport applications.
How much does a birth certificate cost?
- A short birth certificate is free.
- A full birth certificate costs £3.50
See above for the difference between a short and full birth certificate.
You can buy the full certificate for £3.50 when you register the birth, or order one at a later date for £9.00. Any replacement certificates can also be ordered at a cost of £9.00.
We accept cash, credit cards or debit cards.
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Who can register a birth?
The baby’s parents need to sign the register of births.
- If you are married, both parents automatically have parental responsibility – either of you can register the birth and full parental details are listed on the certificate.
- If you are not married, the father must sign the register for his name to be included on the certificate – he will need to come to the appointment.
- Where the father cannot attend, but the mother wants to include the father’s name on the certificate, she needs to bring a ‘statutory declaration of parentage’ completed by the father in the presence of a solicitor or notary public (you can get a ‘statutory declaration’ form from a solicitor or a register office). Alternatively, the mother can get a court order.
- You do not have to bring your baby but many parents like to.
If the baby was born in another borough, can I still register the birth in Hackney?
- A birth must be registered in the borough where it took place. However, Hackney Register Office can help you register the birth by making a ‘declaration.’
- You have three months to make a declaration, and can make an appointment to do so by phoning 020 8356 3000.
- At the declaration appointment, the birth details are recorded in a declaration that the parent(s) sign to confirm the details. Hackney Register Office then sends this to the register office in the borough where the baby was born.
- If you want a full birth certificate, you will need to make a cheque for £3.50 payable to the borough where the baby was born, or provide a postal order that Hackney Register Office will send along with the declaration. The certificate will be posted to you by the register office in the borough where the baby was born.
Can I register a still-birth?
Yes, you will need a ‘medical cause of still-birth’ certificate from a registered midwife or doctor. Still-births must be registered within three months.
Please make an appointment through Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000. If the still-birth took place in another borough, you will need to make a 'declaration'.
To make an appointment you need to provide:
- date of still-birth
- name of child
- place of still-birth
- contact details of parent(s) attending the appointment.
Can I register a miscarriage?
No, you can only register a still-birth born after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Can I register a birth and a death together?
- Yes, if a child breathed or showed signs of life they are considered live-born, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy.
- You will need to make two appointment slots to register the birth and the death. Please make appointments through Hackney Contact Centre on 020 8356 3000. Each appointment will take about 30 minutes.
Can I re-register a birth?
Yes, you can re-register a birth if:
- the parents marry
- the father’s details were not included in the first registration.
Visit the Directgov website for relevent forms. Please complete the appropriate form and return to Hackney Register Office. You will then be contacted about the next available re-registration appointment.
How can I change my child’s name?
Forenames
You can change a child’s forenames within 12 months of the birth being registered because of regular use or baptism.
You will need to complete a Certificate of Naming form. This form is available online or from Hackney Contact Centre (call 020 8356 3000). You should then send it to Hackney Registration Services who will amend the original entry (by showing the new name at the bottom).
Please note the following:
- The baptismal name will always take precedent.
- The minister with custody of the baptismal register needs to complete a ‘certificate of naming – name given in baptism' form, which is available from the Directgov website.
- Only the mother, father or guardian can apply for a child's change of forename to be recorded, and you can only change forenames once.
- You must comply with any court orders in force about the naming of your child.
- The new forenames have to be written on the original certificate, by the register office where you registered the birth. If you have moved it can be done by post.
- There is no charge for adding the new forenames, but you will need to pay for a new certificate. Any replacement certificates because of changes can be ordered at a cost of £9.00.
Surnames
- A child’s surname can only be changed if the birth is re-registered due to the the parents marrying or the father’s details being recorded after the initial registration.
- The surname can be changed to the mother’s or the father’s or to a combination of the two as long as both parents agree.
- Written consent must be given by the child if they are over 16.
- Depending on the circumstances, you will need to complete either a re-registration form to add the father's name, or a re-registration form where parents marry.
I have changed my name by Deed Poll. How do I change the details on my birth certificate?
Birth records show details at the time of the birth registration, so cannot can be changed to reflect a Deed Poll name change. Whenever you have to show your birth certificate you also need to show your Deed Poll document for proof of name.
How do I correct an error?
An entry in a birth register is an historic record of the facts as they were at the time of the birth, but if errors are discovered later, details can be changed or added.
- Wherever possible, applications for corrections should be made by the person who provided the information for the registration.
- You will need to provide documentary evidence to the register office where you registered the birth to prove an error was made at the time of the registration.
- Sometimes they may need to send your paperwork to corrections and re-registration section at the General Register Office for authorisation.
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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