GOV.UK Warning: Unofficial Certificate Websites Reminder

[Jennie]

On 28 Nov 2011 the Government issued a warning which stated : “People ordering birth, death and marriage certificates were warned by the Registrar General today not to be fooled by unofficial websites, after an advertising watchdog investigation….”

Read here for full article.

 

[Carla]

I haven't ordered any certificates for a long time now.......although i do need a few to carry on my research. I did notice quite a difference in price when i ordered on line, depending on which web site i used. As i haven't done it for ages i will need to have a really good look around and see where is best. I see the article suggests it is best to go direct to the General Register Office which is what i have used anyway.

 

[OnlyMe]

The GRO is the cheapest for certificates as local Register Offices are now permitted to charge more than the £9.20 although sometimes contacting the local Register Office is better if your not sure if you have the correct certificate. I've found they will ring you back if there is a discrepancy.

 

[Cathy]

There are or were many agents who would get certificates for you. When you didn't live in the UK and payment had to be by Sterling cheque, the easiest way to obtain certificates was through an agent. With online payment, the situation changed dramatically. Getting certificates direct from the GRO was cheapest and quickest.
However, now that more local registry offices are putting up local indexes and making it possible to pay online (though the two don't necessarily go together) it makes sense to get the certificate from the local registry where this is possible as the GRO certificate is a copy of the local one and we all know mistakes creep in during copying.
What I don't know is whether the local registries give a photocopy of their entry or a modern copy. At least the GRO now gives you a photocopy of what they actually have rather than a modern copy.

 

[OnlyMe]

The certificates I've had recently from local Register Offices have been hand written by the current Registrar. They are also charging more for their 'costs' but having said that there are advantages sometimes in obtaining certificates from them as mentioned above.