You need to register a stillbirth with us in person within 42 days of the birth. This is a legal requirement.
Who can register
See: GOV.UK - Register a stillbirth: Who can register the stillbirth
Where to register
You should register the stillbirth at the register office for where the baby was born.
You can check which council covers the area where the baby was born (GOV.UK).
If the baby was born in the London Borough of Hounslow, you should register at Hounslow Register Office. The address is:
Hounslow Register Office
Feltham Lodge
38-40 Harlington Road West
Feltham
TW14 0JJ
Hounslow Register Office on Google Maps.
You can usually book an appointment between the following times, depending on availability:
- Weekdays: 9am to 4.30pm
Book an appointment to register a stillbirth
What you need to bring with you
We must have the medical certificate of stillbirth before the registration can take place. Please be aware that this certificate may take several days to be issued.
In most cases, the midwife or doctor will issue the certificate at the hospital and email a scanned copy directly to the register office.
If the medical practitioner has given the certificate to you, please make sure you bring it to your appointment.
You are not legally required to supply any other documents. However, some documents will help to ensure accurate registration. These are:
- passport or birth certificates for mother and father (or other parent)
- proof of address
- marriage/civil partnership certificate (where both parents are married or in a civil partnership to one another)
If English is not your first language, a friend or relative can come with you. You must register the stillbirth yourself.
What we will need to know
When registering the stillbirth, we'll ask you for the:
- baby's place and date of stillbirth
- baby's names, if you want to name the child
- baby's sex
- parents' names and any previous names
- parents' addresses
- parents' places and dates of birth
- parents' jobs
- date of parents' marriage or civil partnership, if any
You don't have to enter a name for your baby in the register. However, if you choose not to add a name at your appointment, you won't be able to add it later.
Certificate of registration
Upon completion of the registration, you will receive a certificate for burial or cremation. This should either be taken to the funeral director so that baby’s funeral can take place or the registrar can email it directly to the funeral director.
The registrar will also issue you with a certificate of registration of stillbirth and a standard certificate. There is no charge for either of these certificates.
Errors on the certificate
When you register, you must carefully check the information the registrar hands to you. It’s important that the information is accurate before the registration is completed.
You are responsible for ensuring that all details are correct, including spellings.
This means that anything that needs to be corrected will need to go through a formal process and be considered by either our register office or the General Register Office.
This will cost a fee of either £83 or £99, depending on the correction needed. The correct information will show as a marginal note at the bottom of the entry.
Financial support and taking time off work
Following a stillbirth, you’re normally entitled to financial support and time off work.
See: GOV.UK - Register a stillbirth: Financial support and taking time off work
Support organisations
The following organisations offer support and advice following a stillbirth:
