Register a still birth

All still born babies have to be officially registered within 42 days of their birth.

Visit GOV.UK to find out who can register a still birth including what to do if neither parent can attend.

To register your baby's still birth, you need to book an appointment with a registrar from the area your baby was born in.

Book an appointment

If your baby was born in Kent or Bexley, you can make an appointment by calling us on 03000 41 51 51 for Kent and 03000 41 52 52 for Bexley.

This service doesn’t include Medway, the London Borough of Bromley or Greenwich.

I want to register a still birth but I don't live in Kent or Bexley

If your baby was born in Kent or Bexley but you can’t attend an office here, you can give the details to any birth registrar in England and Wales.

The details are sent to our Kent Libraries, Registrations and Archives Service who will register the birth. This is called registration by declaration.

If a still birth is registered by declaration the birth certificate and form for the funeral director will be sent to you by post, normally within 1 week.

The registration service is free but you will have to pay for additional still birth certificates.

What we need to know

When the registrar calls you, they will need to know some information about the person who has died and your relationship to them to be able to complete the death register.

What will I be asked?

You will need to provide the following information:

  • place and date of birth of the baby
  • if the parents wish to name the baby, the name and surname
  • sex of the baby
  • names, surnames, places of birth and occupations of the parents
  • mother's maiden name (if applicable).
This information will be recorded on the still birth certificate.

At registration you will receive:

  • a certificate of registration - this provides proof that the still birth has been registered. The certificate includes any names that were given to the child, the date of the still birth and the registration district in which the still birth occurred
  • a still birth certificate - this is an exact copy of the entry in the register
  • a certificate for burial or cremation - this is the certificate you need to give to the funeral director arranging the funeral.

Support for parents whose child was still born is available from the following organisations:

Visit GOV.UK to find out about financial support as well as taking time off work.