Information you need to provide when registering a birth

At your appointment you need information about both the baby and the parents. It is important that the information supplied is accurate as any corrections to the register may be difficult to make.

Information and documents you need to bring

When your baby is born, you will be given a birth notification by the hospital or place where your baby was born. This notification may be contained within your personal child health record (PCHR), often known as the 'red book'. Please bring this information with you to the appointment, along with the other documents and information listed at register a birth on GOV.UK.

The baby’s last name

The baby may be registered with any last name but if it is not the mother's or father's this may cause difficulties for the child in later life. If the parents are not married to each other and the baby is registered in the mother’s last name it may be changed to the father’s last name later if the couple marry and subsequently re-register the birth.

If a baby of unmarried parents is given the father’s last name this can not be changed at a later date.

If English is not your first language 

Please bring someone to help you register together with passports and marriage certificates, where possible. You can ask a friend or relative to come with you but please remember that they cannot come instead of you.