Hello
The Government probably believe that if born in the last 50 years, that generally relatives know their relations and are able to trace and contact them direct in most cases.
My ex wanted to keep my Childrens Birth Certificates and I needed them for my children living with me.
The easiest way was to have a morning Appointment with the District Registrar covering the area of where they were born and went by train with my Passport and family papers, showed my papers, completed an Application, paid the fee and after dinner she handed them personally to me.
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I really don't mind whatsoever Public Authorities being 'awkward' and having to prove I was related, prove who I claimed to be and where I lived. Because I hate fraud and the massive amount of public money being wasted and genuine claimants getting a bad name.
Some councils have discovered they have Let 10 to 20 homes to the same person, who is running a sub-letting scam, in some cases people have got multiple I.D. papers.
This fraud is denying people who have waited on the list for social housing and applied properly.
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Sometimes tracing and contacting your relatives direct, with just an old location and full name might be possible?
Many relatives are usually happy to speak by 'phone and exchange old information and old photos by email, when they have sussed you out!
We traced ours forward from early 20th Century in the Archives to a 1980s address (the last year my relative lived there). One sunny afternoon (with my Passport & proof of who I was) called there, but no reply, then to a neighbour no reply, then to another neighbour, who sent me to another lady, who told me my relative had died and knew his Daughter and within several hours I was face to face with a relative (by marriage) who said nothing despite me introducing my full name and who I was related to, until I said my Grandfather was killed in an ... and showed him this old letter about it. Ohhhhhhhhhhh I know who you are, was his reply.
Mark
