Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

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

117 replies

BCGoneIDontKnowWhat · 04/02/2022 18:39

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?

OP posts:
Original poster
BCGoneIDontKnowWhat · 04/02/2022 21:13

@MongerTruffle

I used my provisional license for my DBS check but they won't accept that for right to work only the full license which I don't have (yet).

Take a look here:

www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk

A driving licence (neither provisional nor full) won't do because it doesn't prove anything about your immigration status.
You need to show your birth certificate and some kind of official document showing your NI number.

As many others have said—the date doesn't matter. I would just keep pushing them on that; ask them to show you where the government has said that the birth certificate needs to be dated within 1 year of birth (they won't be able to).

@MongerTruffle But the only date on it is within a year of my birth anyway, I was registered at 2 days old as were my siblings.
OP posts:
Aposterhasnoname · 04/02/2022 21:13

Do you have a passport?

Original poster
BCGoneIDontKnowWhat · 04/02/2022 21:14

@Aposterhasnoname

Do you have a passport?
@Aposterhasnoname Not an adult one and I'm not sure I still have my child one
OP posts:
Allywill · 04/02/2022 21:25

My daughter only has a certified copy as the passport office lost her original when I sent it in for her first passport. Never had any trouble with the “copy” for DBS etc. if it’s gone it’s gone.

RainbowMum11 · 04/02/2022 23:22

Interesting.
I got married in Italy a number of years ago, and they required me to supply a long birth certificate which had my Dads name on.
My parents weren't married when I was born, so essentially they had to travel with their own if etc to the town of my birth to add my dad to my birth certificate and thus allow me to marry - how insane is that! If my Dad had died or was completely absent, it couldn't have happened.
I suspect the HR at your prospective employers are misunderstanding the rules, as this can't be that uncommon.

SeeminglyOblivious · 04/02/2022 23:29

Stop dancing round them trying to plead and convince them to accept other documents.

'Good morning X,
My original birth certificate unfortunately no longer exists as it was destroyed in a house fire many years ago.
Please let me know by return how we move forward.
Kind Regards'

Krustykrabpizza · 04/02/2022 23:33

@SeeminglyOblivious

Stop dancing round them trying to plead and convince them to accept other documents.

'Good morning X,
My original birth certificate unfortunately no longer exists as it was destroyed in a house fire many years ago.
Please let me know by return how we move forward.
Kind Regards'

Yes this. They are wrong. And right to work checks should have been completed when you were recruited. The responsibility is on them to find the solution and obtain the correct information.
TokyoTen · 04/02/2022 23:40

Have you got some jobsworth who has been told what to ask for? If so ask to speak to the HR manager or someone senior. Whoever is asking you is clueless!

MarisPiper92 · 04/02/2022 23:55

HR created this problem, they can fix it. Send @SeeminglyOblivious' email and make sure to cc a few people. Hopefully one of them won't be an idiot and will sort it out. In the meantime, try to stop worrying about it. You've done all you can.

NorthSouthcatlady · 05/02/2022 00:08

Are they thick about lots of other things as well?! I have to get a DBS due to the job l do, the original to me birth certificate got stolen about 20 years ago and DBS cope with that. What does the company want you to do, jump in a time machine and stop your house burning down?! It’s not a great start by them

BeaLola · 05/02/2022 08:26

As has been said they are all certified copies – the original is the actual register entry thet is in the register signed at the time of the registration by your Dad (if parents married only one of them signs the entry)

Sadly you have come across someone /a team of people who are interpreting rules incorrectly.

If you cannot go to anyone more senior then I think the best bet is to either email GRO or the registration district where your birth was registered explaining the problem you have encountered and asking for their confirmation that it is a certified copy of the birth entry, as all certificates are , and that it is acceptable.

My DS certificates in my possession are dated 6 years after his birth when we adopted him - I also happen to have his original birth certificate showing his biological parents details - not sure what your HR would make of that

DGRossetti · 05/02/2022 08:45

And right to work checks should have been completed when you were recruited

Usually it happens on the first day. You're merely asked beforehand that you have the RTW. (I don't know if some agencies require you to provide RTW documentation before putting you forward though).

PurBal · 05/02/2022 08:49

As PP said all birth certificates are copies. As is your marriage certificate. So the fact they accept the marriage one and not your birth one means they’re not following their own rules. Rather than bending over backwards why don’t you ask them what they would do if their birth certificate was lost in a fire?

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 05/02/2022 08:51

What do they say when you tell them I can't give you the first one I was issued, it was destroyed in a house fire.
I'd get on the phone & wait for a verbal response.

christmaskittenincoming · 05/02/2022 09:08

I work in HR, this is incorrect information. The birth certificate you have provided is satisfactory along with proof of NI number. This is all available to see on Gov.com

Previous poster who mentioned adoption, an employer will have no 'issue' with this as adoption certificate is acceptable as proof of right to work.

Ask to speak to HR Manager/Director - escalate this, the staff in this company need basic training!

EnjoyingTheSilence · 05/02/2022 09:13

I would push it back to them and ask what they suggest as the original no longer exists

NeilBuchananisBanksy · 05/02/2022 09:13

Is simply re-provide the copy you have, with a link to the gov.co.uk rules and an explanation of the original no longer existing. If you still get a no, ask for it to be reviewed by a manager.

Are you in a union? It might be worth asking their advice too.

gettingolderandgrumpy · 05/02/2022 09:17

Utter rubbish when I applied for my first adult passport I had to get my dads birth certificate because not born in the uk . He didn’t have it so I applied for a copy I got the copy and passport so if it’s good enough for the passport office . They always want the full certificate not the small one on official documents but many people don’t have the original the copy is still legal document.

ittakes2 · 05/02/2022 09:26

Does the certified copy have a signature on it from a legal person? Maybe that is confusing them. I would just reorder a birth certificate - I did it yesterday it cost £11 plus postage. You do it through the council website of the borough your birth was registered in if you are in the UK.

WeAreTheHeroes · 05/02/2022 09:27

@BCGoneIDontKnowWhat

I have taken the certificate into HR, it's them saying they need the original. It's definitely not a photocopy.

I've pointed out in my email that I used it to get my DBS check and my driving license so can they please explain why it's now not acceptable for Right to Work?

I've also started the passport application. I want to go abroad at some point anyway so it's not totally random but I wasn't going to do it until I'd booked a holiday as I want as many years as I can on the passport. But oh well.

What documents do you need to provide to obtain a passport? If one is your copy birth certificate or any document you've used your copy birth certificate to obtain then that proves they have got it wrong.
Roselilly36 · 05/02/2022 09:30

The person in HR, is wrong, of course a certified copy is acceptable. Just give it back in, perhaps to another person in HR?

LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow · 05/02/2022 09:32

we had an issue with tossco when dd had a saturday job! We're in Scotland and as previously mentioned there is a long and short copy of the birth certificate, and we had the one issued that is the only one given out, you have to buy the other

I think it is the short copy you get and it is sufficient as the legal right to work document, but tossco would not settle until they had sight of the long copy.

Ohmybod · 05/02/2022 09:39

Can you look up the requirements for doing right to work checks (gov.uk maybe?) and see where it says they must insist on the original (including resurrecting any destroyed copies). I’d be asking to see a copy of their procedure and questioning that? It all sounds like someone feels the need to tick a box and can’t move on or around it.

20week · 05/02/2022 10:41

They're wrong. I don't know many people who still have the original (as others have said, still a copy). They just get hold of another copy as your insurance company did. Also as far as I'm aware my DC only have one parents signature on their BC because I remember myself and DH being asked who wanted to sign it.
I wonder if they'll pressure you to get yourself an adult passport.

Shamoo · 05/02/2022 11:15

They are clearly wrong. I only have a copy birth certificate from 2006 as my original was lost. It’s as valid as the original.

They can’t accept a short version (without at least one parents name). I suspect they are confused.

Go back to them and say you have received advice that your birth certificate as provided, which is in long form, is fully valid. Ask them to point you to the legislation / Government requirements which they believe suggest it isn’t. They won’t be able to.