Register a stillbirth
It is a difficult time for everyone when a stillbirth occurs, staff at the Kirklees Registration Service are here to help you and make the process of registering the stillbirth as simple and easy as possible.
Registration of a stillborn child gives you the opportunity to have your child officially acknowledged, to give your baby a name if you wish to, and to have a funeral for the baby.
Registering a stillbirth
You must book an appointment to register a stillbirth.
A stillborn child is legally defined as a child born after the 24th week of pregnancy who did not show any signs of life at the birth.
Stillbirths should normally be registered within 42 days.
If you are registering a stillbirth which occurred outside Kirklees we send the details to the district where it occurred. They are responsible for issuing a death certificate and paperwork for the funeral.
Cost
There is no cost to register a stillbirth
Book an appointment to register a stillbirth
Paperclip You must have the medical certificate of stillbirth issued by the doctor or midwife.
- Phone 01484 221030 (Huddersfield)
- Phone 01924 324733 (Dewsbury)
After you've booked
You will have a date, time and location to attend to register the stillbirth.
At your appointment
You will register the stillbirth.
You may buy a death certificate for £4.00. If you buy it later it may cost more. Due to the sensitive nature of stillbirth registrations only a child's mother or father (if the father's details are included in the entry) can obtain a copy.
Parents
- If the child's parents were married to each other at the time of the stillbirth or conception, either parent can attend to register
- If the parents are not married, the mother can attend alone, but only the child's and the mother's details can be entered to the register
- When parents are not married, and the father's details are to be entered in the registration:
- both parents can attend together
- or the mother can attend alone, with a Statutory Declaration made out by the father acknowledging his paternity
- or the father can attend alone, with a Statutory Declaration made out by the mother acknowledging his paternity
If the father's details are not entered to the register, you may be able to re-register the stillbirth at a later date to include his details.
If the parents can't attend
A stillbirth can be registered by:
- or an occupier of the house or hospital where the stillbirth took place;
- or someone who was present at the stillbirth
- or someone who is responsible for the stillborn child
- or the person who found the stillborn child
- Date and place of stillbirth
- Forename(s) and surname, if the parents wish to name the child
- Sex of child
Father (where his details are being entered)
- Forename(s) and surname
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation at the time of the stillbirth or last occupation if unemployed
Mother
- Forename(s) and surname
- Maiden name if the mother is, or has been, married
- Date and place of birth
- Occupation at the time of the stillbirth (or last occupation if mother wishes to record an occupation)
- Usual address at the date of the stillbirth
- Date of marriage, if married to the child's father at the time of the stillbirth
- Number of previous children by the present and/or former husband
Support organisations
The following organisations give support and advice:
Register offices
In Kirklees there are two register offices one in Huddersfield and the other in Dewsbury. See Register offices for contact details and directions.