Bereaved mum in birth certificate law change bid

A woman wants the law to change to make it easier to name unmarried, dead fathers on their child's birth certificate.

Kyle Averis died in July 2015, six months before his son Harley was born. His partner Jasmine Hill could only get his name added via a court order.

She said some people "just aren't ready to go through the emotional side to fight to have the father's name on it".

The Ministry of Justice has been asked for comment.

Unmarried fathers need to be present to sign the paperwork but if the couple are married, the husband's name can be added in his absence.

Ms Hill, from Huntley in the Forest of Dean, wants the law change made in cases where there is no dispute over the newborn's parentage.

She would like the deceased's parents to represent the father in the registration process.

"What I want is to do is get a change in the law so people don't have to go through what I've gone through and what other people have gone through," she said.

"When I got the news that I could have him on, I was literally in tears for about half an hour after, I was literally sobbing."

Ms Hill had to apply for a declaration of parentage court order for Harley, at a cost of £250.

This application was granted by a judge on 13 October after the hearing on 6 August.

Prior this, Ms Hill believed she needed to pay £4,000 for DNA tests as proof of paternity as part of the requirements of the court order.

Due to the costs she delayed the court application, but she later discovered it could be done without these tests as there was no doubt over Harley's paternity.

Ms Hill has begun a House of Commons petition calling for a debate on the matter.

"I've had people where there's been suicide, their partner's been murdered or been in a car accident. It's everyday things, so anyone pregnant and who's not married, they could be affected," she said.