We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
Maternity or Paternity Leave or Pay, or Maternity Allowance for parents
Find out how to register a birth - who can register, birth certificates
All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered…
Opposite-sex couples Married or civil-partner parents Either parent can…
There are 2 types of birth certificate: the short version, which contains…
Maternity Allowance is paid to pregnant women who do not get Statutory Maternity Pay - rate, eligibility, apply, form MA1
Maternity Allowance is a payment you can get when you take time off to…
You can get Maternity Allowance for up to 39 weeks if you’ve been either:…
Use the maternity entitlement calculator to work out how much you could…
You can apply for Maternity Allowance once you’ve been pregnant for 26…
You need to report changes in your circumstances that happen while you’re…
Your Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Leave - what you get, how to claim, maternity rights and extra help
Your Statutory Paternity Pay and Leave - eligibility, what you get, how to claim.
You can start Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if you're eligible and you or your partner ends your maternity or adoption leave early - eligibility, entitlement, starting SPL and split…
Employer and employee guide to unpaid parental leave - eligibility, how much leave can be taken and notice periods, postponing leave
Guidance for employees and employers: employment rights when on maternity, paternity, adoption or parental bereavement leave - keeping in touch days, annual leave, returning to work, redundancy
Legal rights for pregnant employees - including paid time off for antenatal appointments, maternity leave and pay, protection against discrimination and telling the employer about the pregnancy.
Parents must register the birth in the country where the child was born - find out if you can also register the birth in the UK.
Correct the original registration with the register office or GRO - find out what corrections can be made, who can apply, how long it takes, what they look like
Re-register your child’s birth to add the father's name to the birth record or certificate at the register office
Complete this form to register a child's birth if both parents can't go in person to the register office
Where and how to register a stillbirth, who can register it, financial support you may be able to get and support organisations
Application form and guidance notes on how to remove the wrong fathers details from a birth registration.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab).