Not got my original birth certificate, work won’t accept the copy, help?

[BCGoneIDontKnowWhat]

When I was a child (I’d have been 8 or 9) my parents house caught fire while we were away on holiday. Everything destroyed including my original birth certificate.

My parents insurance immediately purchased certified copies from the General Register Office (GRO).

I’ve never had an issue using this certificate ever; I applied for a driving license using it. I registered my DD for school using this certificate (both the council and her school wanted to see my BC and accepted this copy as proof she was entitled to an education).

I’ve held down jobs in the past and they’ve been fine with it.

My parents and siblings have also got certified copies of their certificates for the same reason and never had issues.

Until now.

My current work have been doing right to work checks and asked for my original birth certificate. I explained I had this certified copy and have never had an issue using it, but work will not accept it. They’ve said it needs to be the original certificate issued with a year of my birth.

I’ve explained I no longer have that certificate and that this one was purchased by the insurance company to replace the original and I’ve never had an issue using it, but they insist it has be the original certificate.

No matter which way I explain I cannot get the original certificate as it was destroyed they say there’s nothing they can do and they have to prove my right to work.

If I send off to the GRO for another copy this isn’t good enough they want the original certificate.

Help, what else can I do?

All birth certs are copies. The original certificate is the one in the actual register. Do they come with a date that they're printed out on them? If not then just crumple it up a bit and hand it back in.

@AmbushedByCake

All birth certs are copies. The original certificate is the one in the actual register. Do they come with a date that they're printed out on them? If not then just crumple it up a bit and hand it back in.

@AmbushedByCake I can't see a date on it, but they're saying they want the certificate from within a year of my birth. I obviously don't have the original copy, anywhere.

You're right, I did check DDs Birth Cert just and hers is a certified copy as well. Again no date on it of when it was issued.

Is this in England? And is it England you are trying to use it? If so, and it's a copy from the registry office then I don't understand their issue. Is it for a DBS check. Or is it because its a short copy (no parents details) and not a full copy (with parent details) of the BC - which you can get a copy of for £11 from the registry office.

All birth certificates are copies so they're talking rubbish.

Will they not accept a passport? That’s all I’ve ever been asked for.

Do you have a passport they could use instead?

I expect it's a but like the DBS check requirement? So a bit of "computer says no"

There must be a higher level person who can look at it?

If there's no date on it then just hand it back to them again and say its the original

@Mumdiva99 It's a full copy with my parents details on, the original was hand written as I'm just slightly too old for the newer typed ones. But the details are clear on it and previous work places have had no issues with it.

I have also sent them my marriage certificate as I use my ExHs surname now and they have no issues with that and say the names match. It's the date they have a problem with, have said they need to see the one issued at birth, but I obviously don't have it.

Is it a long birth certificate they want? Mine says very little apart from my name, date of birth and place of birth.the kids have 2 - one with patents details on etc.
If you just have the short one, get a long one.
btw, I'd never explain it was a copy. It opens the doors to disagreements！

They're talking rubbish. ALL birth certificates are certified copies.

@User478

Do you have a passport they could use instead?

I expect it's a but like the DBS check requirement? So a bit of "computer says no"

There must be a higher level person who can look at it?

@User478 No passport, never had one as an adult, last one I had was over 20 years ago so is a very young photo of me.

Ignore me.
Just produce te same document, undated. It's amazing what you had in your suitcase on holiday, and so was,saved from the fire, isn't it

@MaizeAmaze

Is it a long birth certificate they want? Mine says very little apart from my name, date of birth and place of birth.the kids have 2 - one with patents details on etc. If you just have the short one, get a long one. btw, I'd never explain it was a copy. It opens the doors to disagreements！

@MaizeAmaze I never told them it was a copy until they asked for the original.

Just keep repeating “it was destroyed in a fire in 19xx” over and over.

If you don't have it you don't have it. Ask them what they suggest you do given the old one was destroyed in the fire? Ask them for their solution.

Sounds a bit odd. Ask them to show you an example of the date they want on it......or get them to phone the registry office to check.

Well you clearly can't provide what they want, unless you suddenly invent a time machine to go back in time to get a certificate within a year of your birth. So what is their solution? There's no point in them keeping asking you for something you're never going to be able to provide.

We've had to get copies of ours for various reasons, there is literally no difference in the older ones and the newer ones.

Also my children were re registered 7 years later, their certificates are still valid!

They are wrong. The copy you have provided is sufficient for their purposes. Ask them for a copy of whatever it is they're referring to that states your certified copy certificate isn't good enough. Then email the GRO and ask what they can provide you with that meets the criteria your work are applying. I bet you they respond that your certified copy certificate is sufficient.

I work in the legal department of a listed company and deal with proving people's ID frequently for all sorts of different reasons.

@MafaldaHopkirk

Well you clearly can't provide what they want, unless you suddenly invent a time machine to go back in time to get a certificate within a year of your birth. So what is their solution? There's no point in them keeping asking you for something you're never going to be able to provide.

Good point. Is the person asking you someone who isn't clearly conveying to someone else what you've provided or someone who doesn't understand that what you've provided is a certified copy, not a simple photocopy?

I work in HR for a University and you work is talking nonsense. We (and almost every other employer) use this guide. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/998170/6.7578_-HO-_PBS_Employers_Right_To_Work_Assets_V3.pdf

They are completely wrong about this. The requirement is for a birth certificate and that's what you've supplied. My dad put my original one through the washing machine 30 years ago. I've had no issue with the replacement, including enhanced DBS checks.

My friend had an issue as they were adopted. The company insisted in his actual birth cert as clearly he had been a terrorist in his first 6 weeks. The issue is that firms get a £10k fine and can't cope with different circumstances. My birth cert is from 16 years after my birth as I was re-registered - that would blow their minds. They need to work with you on this.

I've never had this issue anywhere before, I'm sure I might even have provided to Student Finance when I went to Uni, never ever had an issue with using it, ever. This is the first time I've come across this problem.

Here is a screenshot of the government's list of acceptable ID. Google 'right to work checks birth certificate' or similar. Send them the link.