Closed petition Allow free changes to birth certificates up to 7 days after registration

Closed on 3 May 2022

The Government should allow any and all changes to birth registrations, for at least a period of 7 days from the date the new-born was first registered, without any fee. A full, fresh certificate should be issued, not just a note added to the original.

Currently, parents of new-borns are expected to register their child's birth within 42 days of birth. The early months of parenthood can be extremely stressful and registrants can be prone to making errors while submitting documents. There is also a charge of £75 or £90 for correction and only a note is added.

This change in the law should alleviate some of the stress that new parents face and it would be affordable for a majority of the public due to the removal of the fee.