When and where to register
If your baby was born in the City of Peterborough then the
birth must be registered here. You will need to make an
appointment to do this so please use our
online appointment booking system, or alternatively contact us
at Peterborough
Register Office for an appointment. If it is not possible
for you to register at Peterborough then you may visit
any other register office
to sign a legal declaration, however using this procedure will
cause delay.
How to register
You will need to make an appointment. If, as baby’s
natural mother and father, you are married when baby is born
or conceived then either of you may attend to register. If
you were not married when the baby is born and you wish the
father’s details to be included in the register, then both of you
must attend the office together. If the father’s details are
not entered in the register at the time of the registration, there
is a procedure for requesting they are added at a later date. If
you are unsure about your legal status as a couple further advice is
available. You do not need to bring the baby to
the appointment.
What happens during the registration?
Report to the receptionist on arrival. You will
be shown to a comfortable waiting area. Your
private interview with the registrar will take
approximately half an hour. The registrar will ask questions about
the baby and both parents and will enter the details in a computer
and complete the register. You will be given two
opportunities to check that the information is correct . If
any mistake is made it will be troublesome for you to have it
corrected. You will be asked to sign the register to
state that you agree with the information as
recorded. It is an offence to give false
information.
What information will be needed?
- You will be asked the following:
- Date and place of your baby's birth, also the time if you are
registering twins, triplets etc.
- The forename, surname and sex of your baby
- Your forenames and surnames plus any names you may have
used before and since baby's birth
- Dates and places of birth
- Current or last occupations
- Your addresses on the day you are registering and baby's
mother's address on the day baby was born
- Baby’s mother’s maiden name
- Date of your marriage (if applicable) and number of
previous children
Special Circumstances
If you are not a married couple and you are unable to go to
the register office together, it may be possible to
complete a statutory declaration of parentage (which you can obtain
from us or you can print one off yourself from the Gov.UK website)
confirming who is the natural father of the baby. This
form needs to be witnessed by a solicitor. This statutory
declaration form must then be produced to the registrar at
the time of the appointment. Please contact us for further
information in this situation.
Tell Us Once
Peterborough Registration Service offers a service which helps
you notify government departments and local council services that
you have had a baby. This "Tell Us Once" service is optional and
will be offered to you straight after you have registered your
baby's birth. The registrar will explain everything in more detail.
If you think you may wish to use the service then please bring the
following to your appointment:
- A fully completed child benefit form (with all questions
answered) and the prepaid envelope (usually found in your Bounty
Pack).
- Your national insurance number and your partner/spouse's
national insurance number.
- Details of any benefits you or your partner/spouse may be
receiving.
Birth certificate
A free short certificate showing only the baby’s name, date and
place of birth will be given to you by the registrar. The registrar
will also be able to provide a full certificate (which includes
parents' details) for £4.00 each at the time of the registration.
The fees for certificates after the time of registration are
£7.00 if issued from a current register or
£10.00 if issued from a completed register.
Payments can be made by cash or credit/debit cards (payment by
credit/debit cards is subject to a £1 administration charge).
Re-Registration
If, as natural parents, you marry after your baby has been born,
then you must have the birth re-registered so that the record shows
the legal status of the child. It is also possible to re-register
to add natural's father's details if they were not included at the
initial registration and you have not married since. Applications
forms can be obtained from us or you can print one yourself
from the Gov.UK
website. You will need to let us have the completed form and copies
of the relevant certificates before you make your appointment. For
further advice please ring us on (01733) 864646 or look on the
Gov.UK
website.
Registering a baby conceived after fertility treatment or
surogacy
We can provide advice on the registration of a baby conceived
after fertility treatment but usually the baby is registered as a
child of the couple who were treated together with no reference to
the donor. In the case of a baby born to a surrogate mother the
initial registration is done with the birth mother's details and
then a re-registration completed after the commissioning parents
have obtained a parental court order.
It is now legally possible for a female couple to be entered
onto a child's birth registration.
Please contact us for further information and advice.