Register a still-birth or neonatal death

Register a still-birth

If your pregnancy ends from 24 weeks onwards, you need to register a still-birth.

You must register a still-birth within 42 days of it happening.

Our registrar will guide you through this process at your appointment.

Booking your appointment

When a still-birth occurs, the doctor or midwife will complete a medical certificate of still-birth. This will be sent to our register office within 48 hours.

Once our register office has received the medical certificate of still-birth, we will call you to book an appointment.

All appointments will be face-to-face at our register office.

Royal Greenwich Register Office
Woolwich Town Hall
Wellington Street
London
SE18 6PW
United Kingdom
 
You will need to bring:

  • the medical certificate of still-birth issued by the doctor or midwife (if it has been given to you) 
  • proof of identity of the person registering the still-birth 

Find out who can register a stillbirth (GOV.UK)

Register a neonatal death

A neonatal death is when a baby dies within 28 days after they are born.

You must register your baby’s birth and death. This will be done at the same appointment.

Our registrar will guide you through the process at your appointment.

Booking your appointment

When a baby dies, the doctor or midwife will complete a medical certificate of cause of death. This will be sent to our register office within 48 hours.

Once our register office has received the medical certificate of cause of death, we will call you to book an appointment.

All appointments will be face-to-face at our register office.

Royal Greenwich Register Office
Woolwich Town Hall
Wellington Street
London
SE18 6PW
United Kingdom

If your baby was born or died outside of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, you can still book an appointment with us if we are your closest register office. We will send your details to the correct register office.

If the baby was born in one borough and died in another, you can declare the details at the same time and we will forward it to the correct office.

Who can register a neonatal death

Either parent can register the baby’s death, whether they are done together or separately. You do not need to be married to do this.

If neither parent can attend the appointment, you can also register the death if you are:

  • another relative
  • someone who was present at the death
  • a senior administrative member of the hospital staff

Information you will need to give

Our registrars will need to ask you some questions to complete the registration.

This includes the:

  • mother’s name, date of birth and place of birth
  • father’s name, date of birth and place of birth
  • date and time of the baby’s delivery
  • baby’s full name
  • date and time of the baby’s death – this will be on the medical certificate cause of death

You will also need to bring the medical certificate of cause of death to the appointment if it’s been given to you.

Arranging a funeral and other support

You will need to register the baby’s death before you can hold a funeral.

If you need to arrange an urgent burial for religious reasons, you can get a burial order without registration.

Bereavement support

There are many places you can go to get help and support when someone has died.

Find out where to get bereavement help and support (GOV.UK)

You can also get support from: