DP not named on step daughters birth certificate -odd?

[aviation]

Just looked at my step daughters birth certificate (she is 18yrs old). She has her fathers surname (my DP) but under the 'name of father' part it is written 'unknown'. The mother and DP were never married and the mother didn't change her name by deed poll or anything like that. Can't ask the mother as she died some time ago. DP doesn't really understand it either and says back then it was done automatically from the hospital by post and you had to attend the registry office in person to put fathers name down and they never got around to it (I must say that he is crap at admin things so this could easily be wrong!!). They broke up shortly after step daughter was born so this could also be another reason why they never got round to changing the certificate officially. Its down on other documents since then (CSA, passport etc. as him being the father).
Its nothing I am worrying about, it just strikes me as odd - like you could have picked any old surname out of a hat and the administration would write it down! I am wondering if this is going to cause any problems in the future for my step daughter. She is without a doubt my DP's child by the way!

[MollieO]

Don't know about future problems but it is still the law that if you aren't married both of you have to attend to register the birth if you want the father's name on the birth certificate.

[aviation]

But I would have thought if both of you weren't in attendance and hence father would have to be 'unknown' then the child would have to take the Mums surname, no?

[iskra]

No, you can give any surname you like - ie doesn't even have to be the parents' surname.

[iskra]

Back in the day when I was born (1983) unmarried fathers didn't have parental responsibility even if named on the birth certificate. The only way of getting it (I think) was to take the father to court - anyway I have this brilliant document where my mother accuses my father of having fathered this "bastard child Iskra" & my dad pleads guilty.

[MollieO]

No you can name them what you like. Ds has my surname even though his father attended with me to register the birth - I was adamant that Ds wasn't going to have his name if I didn't.

[hocuspontas]

Yep. Any surname - parents don't have to provide their own birth certificates. If father wasn't in attendance then no name would be entered if the parents weren't married. I say 'weren't' because I don't know if it's changed in the last twenty years.

[iskra]

It's still the same hocuspontas, if the parents aren't married the father has to attend to get on the birth certificate. This is why Ed Milliband isn't on one of his son's birth certs.

However now unmarried fathers who are on the birth certs do get parental responsibility.

[aviation]

Wow, I did not know that you could give your child any old surname! How bizarre!!
Am also now thinking of fantastic surnames I could now name future children!! ha ha!

[KaraStarbuckThrace]

DH isn't on DSS's birth certificate.

DSS's mum put 'Father unknown' so she could claim benefits while not declaring the maintenance from DH.

[amberleaf]

DSS's mum put 'Father unknown' so she could claim benefits while not declaring the maintenance from DH.

She could have done that with his name down as father too Kara

[MollieO]

You don't need to declare child maintenance payments to claim benefits. I tried to declare the pittance ds's father contributes and was told that it wasn't taken into account and needn't be declared.

[KaraStarbuckThrace]

She did back then DSS was small, they have changed the rules since. She used to get interrogated interviewed every year by social services about what a slapper she was to not know who was DSS's father!

[amberleaf]

She could still have had his name as father and claimed benefits though that is what im saying.

It woukld have made no difference at all.

Even if he was on the birth cert she could have just told them they are not together and he pays nothing.

[amberleaf]

Also why the hell would social services be interested in her not knowing who the father was?

[KaraStarbuckThrace]

Don't ask me!!! But this is exactly why she said she couldn't put his name on the birth cert.
But it is completely true, they did this every year until DSS was about 5-6 I think, he is 10 now.

[amberleaf]

If the maintenance goes into the hundreds you dont get benefits

[ChasingSquirrels]

you certainly do get tax credits - child maint is completely disregarded.

[KaraStarbuckThrace]

DH and ex never went through CSA and he was paying her a couple of hundred pound in maintenance a month.
I did think she was committing fraud but DH wouldn't do anything about it. He was worried that CSA would chase him for the money rather than her, even though he was paying well above the CSA limit.

[ChocHobNob]

"amberleaf : If the maintenance goes into the hundreds you dont get benefits"

That's not true. All maintenance is disregarded for benefits purposes as of April 2010. A person can receive £1000 a month in maintenance (wishful thinking perhaps) and could still claim income related benefits.

[TheOriginalFAB]

I have been about this too. I am 39 and I have my father's surname but a line where the father's name should be. Seems like you can give any surname including the father's name but can't actually name him if you are not married .