Births
In addition to the information here, the central government website www.direct.gov.uk holds lots of useful tips and facts for those about to have a baby, new parents and parental responsibilty including sections on health in pregnancy and after the birth.
You can also read about maternity leave and pay and claim Maternity Allowance online or apply for Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit online.
Who should register the birth?
Every live birth must be registered within 42 days of the child being born.
The birth must be registered personally by:
- one of the parents if the parents are married to each other
- the mother or the mother and father together if they are not married to each other
You can not ask a friend or relative to register the birth on your behalf.
Find out more about who should register the birth.
Where do I register a birth?
The birth must be registered at the Register Office for the district where the birth takes place.
For births in Liverpool, you must register the birth at:
Liverpool Register Office
The Cotton Exchange
Old Hall Street
Liverpool L3 9UF
or at:
The Liverpool Women's Hospital
Crown Street
Liverpool
L8 7SS
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes. For your convenience we operate an appointments system.
How do I make an appointment?
To make an appointment to register at the Cotton Exchange, you should call Liverpool Direct, the City of Liverpool call centre, on 0151 233 3004.
The call centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To register at the Liverpool Women's Hospital, you can add your name to the appointments lists on the main wards.
Do I need to bring anything with me?
No, you do not need to bring anything with you but it may be helpful to bring your own (the parents') passports and the birth certificates of any of your previous children with you to your appointment.
If English is not your first language, and you would like someone to help with the registration, you should ask a friend or relative to go with you to register.
What will happen at the appointment?
At the time of the registration the Registrar will give you a free short birth certificate (the short birth certificate will show only the baby's forenames, surname, sex, date of birth and district of birth), plus a form for you to register your baby with your doctor.
The Registrar is also able to provide a full birth certificate at a cost of £3.50 if required. This includes details of the parent(s) and is a copy of the entire registretion entry.
A charge of 50p will be made for all credit/debit card transactions.
What can I do if I can't register the birth in Liverpool?
If it is difficult for you to go to the Cotton Exchange or to register at the Liverpool Women's Hospital, you may go to any other Register Office in England or Wales to give information for the registration but the birth will not be registered there.
The information you give at another office will be sent to us and we will send you a free short birth certificate plus a form for you to register your baby with your doctor.
What do I do if I lose a birth certificate?
Duplicate or copy certificates can always be obtained at a later date if required. Find out how to get copies of certificates.
Information for non-English speakers
Information on registering a birth is available in other languages. Click on the relevant language below.
- Arabic
- Bengali
- Chinese
- Hindi
- Punjabi
- Somali
- Urdu