Register The Birth of a Child With a Local Authority

Department

Local Authorities – responsible for statutory birth registration

General Register Office (GRO) - maintains the central birth register and issues certified copies

Office for National Statistics (ONS) - uses GRO data to compile and publish national population and birth statistics (England and Wales).

Intent

Birth registration is a key milestone for families, formally recognising the arrival of a child and establishing their legal identity. It enables access to rights, protections, and public services across government throughout the child's life.

Registration also supports the government in maintaining accurate population records and ensures that children and parents are protected by law from birth.

It also acts as a trigger for access to future public services, including healthcare, benefits, nationality, and education systems across government.

Interaction

Parents (or legally entitled informants) attend a birth registration appointment with the Local Authority in the area where the child was born. For many families, this is an important early step following the birth of a child, helping to ensure their child is formally recognised and able to access public services and legal rights.

The registrar verifies eligibility, records statutory information, and ensures the birth is registered within legal timeframes.

Statutory details include the child’s name, date and place of birth, and parental information, with registrars explaining legal naming rules and parental responsibilities where required.

Registration details are securely transferred to the General Register Office for inclusion in the central register.

The birth record can be used to notify other government services, where parents choose to do so, to support access to relevant services for the child and family.

Operational Delivery colleagues will:

Conducting birth registration appointments and supporting parents

Verifying identity and legal entitlement to register the birth

Accurately recording statutory birth and parental details

Safeguarding sensitive personal data

Ensuring records are accurate and legally compliant

Transferring registration data securely to the General Register Office

Issuing birth certificates and providing guidance on legal implications

Processing payments for certificates and advising on additional copies

Handling corrections, re-registrations and amendments where legal criteria are met

Maintaining high data quality standards and compliance with GDPR and information security requirements

Collaboration

Organisation / Body	Role or Linked Process
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)	To support access to NHS services.
Home Office	In relation to nationality, and passport entitlement.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)	Where birth information supports access to child-related benefits and services when parents choose to notify them
NHS	New-born health checks, GP registration, vaccinations, and health-visitor support
Department for Education (DfE)	Early-years policy, childcare entitlements and safeguarding standards