Seeking birth certificate
Question
Im in a financial mess. Basically, I can't claim Jobseekers Allowance as Im a full-time student and I've had problems getting anything more than a basic loan because my mum won't give me my birth certificate. Things are so bad that I'm unable to access some university facilities because I can't pay my fees. Help!
Answer
At this point, the most effective thing you can do is make an appointment with your student services department to talk things through. You may also want to make your tutors aware of the situation and get them on your side if you need to negotiate with the university authorities.
Secondly, if your mum won't give you your birth certificate, all you need to do is go to the registry office where your birth was registered and ask for a copy; there is a fee of a few pounds. If you don't know where your birth was registered, you can still get a copy of your birth certificate by going online to Family History and Research or the General Register Office (Certificate Services Section).
The more information you provide, the easier and quicker it will be. If you can get the index reference number then the fee for issuing a replacement birth certificate will be lower. You can get the index reference number by searching the indexes at the family record centre, or at some of the larger libraries and public record offices.
Because you're a student at university, you're automatically classified as being in full-time education. This means you're not eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or many other benefits - except in very limited circumstances.
As for the loan, we would suggest contacting the Student Loans Company (0800 405010) and discuss the situation with them. Quite simply, help is always out there. Hopefully, as this response has demonstrated, it really is just a question of asking.
Updated: 23/02/2010
Question answered by CAB
