General Chat

after sending my hubby for our daughters birth cert he couldnt belive that anyone can just go and buy such an important document after discussing it with a few people the general view was it shouldnt be allowed (shame for us if you could'nt) the main reason being anyone could become that person dead or alive thats their worry what do you think? p.s thankyou for your wishes for my mumx tina xxxx

I though you had to show proof of idenity, seems I was wrong. Maybe it was because he knew the birth dates and place of birth. It would be harder asking for Ann Smith 1998 Where ever. Irene

Hi Tina, I ordered a couple of certificates on-line from Southport, and they phoned me up to ask who I was, and confirm details with me, as the certificates were less than 50 years old and could be used for fraud, dont know if this is the normal procedure though. Regards Sheila

If it was for a new birth I thought the hospital sent info re their births to the local register so they could cross reference who was coming in to register. When I had my children they asked certain details in the labour ward, not much just my details and sex/time dates of baby. Probably all computerised now. Penny P.S also if just the father is registering dosnt he have to take along marriage certificate.

Tina I wondered exactly the same thing, as I've been tracing my birth family and have sent for loads of current certificates for cross-checking. However, you do need to provide certain bits of info, eg you couldn't just pick someone's name and buy a copy of their certificate. Also, I work in a school and we have to have people checked on that Criminal Disclosure thing and they have to provide a birth certificate. The CRB won't accept a copy cert if it's issued more than a year after the event, so this is obviously a security check. Does make you wonder though!! Mandy :)

The Government did consult recently on changes to the way civil registration records are accessed. I think their proposals got a mixed reaction from people interested in genealogy because they included greater restriction on access to certificates for living people (which is absolutely fair) but also to certificates issued in the last 100 years. That means they would apply to a certificate for someone, for example, who died 99 years and 11 months ago - too long ago for the certificate to be useful for fraudulent purposes. Anyway, the consultation is now ended and ONS are busy putting their plans into action so we will have to wait and see whether the changes are for the better or worse. Angela

ive showed this my hubby hopefully he'll feel more at ease now thanks for your replies tina xxx

i asked a friend in the uk to get my fathers birth certificate she has never even met my dad and he is very much alive i gave her the details she walked in and obtained it shocking when you think about it.

Hi Tina, Most of the certificates I have obtained are from going down to London at the Family Records Centre. When you fill in the application form (If my memory is correct) you have to declare for what purpose you are applying for the certificate, and also is the certificate relating to you. You also have to sign to this. I'm sure this won't stop dishonest people obtaining details. I always knew that the name on my birth certificate was different from that to which I was known. I went to London to get my birth certificate for my passport. I looked up the index for my reference number in the name I was born with, and found both names.. my birth name (Fathers surname) and my mothers name as a double barrelled surname. My parents didn't marry. When I applied i got a reply saying my name under my fathers surname did not appear in their index's. I then tried my mother name with the same index number and they "found" it. My registered name on certificate is that of my father. Brummie Dave