Closed petition: Restrict public access to birth certificates to help protect children’s privacy

Closed on 7 April 2026

We believe that it is too easy to buy a child’s birth certificate using only basic details, and this exposes children’s personal information to strangers.

We ask the Government to limit access to birth certificates for children under 18 to their parents/legal guardians, or authorised bodies, while keeping historic records accessible for research.

At present, anyone can obtain a certified copy of a child’s birth certificate if they know basic details (name, date of birth, place of registration, details of parents). This means sensitive personal information can be made accessible to strangers. This system has not kept pace with modern concerns about data security, child safeguarding, and identity fraud.