Kirkby couple's 'shock' after blunder lists baby daughter as a boy on birth certificate

Elated parents Grace Bingham, 20, and her partner Ewan, 21, welcomed their daughter Lilah into the world on October 8, 2024.

Five weeks later, they registered her birth as most parents do.

However, Grace stated that a significant mistake occurred when, while registering Lilah at Sutton’s Registration Office, located at Unit 4, Idlewells Shopping Centre, the baby girl was mistakenly marked as a ‘male’.

Grace mentioned that she reviewed the certificate at the time but overlooked the mistake and signed it, attributing her oversight to a lack of sleep.

While she acknowledged her responsibility for not noticing the error before signing, she explained: “As first-time parents, we were very excited and, admittedly, a bit overwhelmed – especially due to the lack of sleep.

“We focused on ensuring that all the names were spelled correctly and didn't expect such a professional error.”

Grace and Ewan were informed that in order to rectify the mistake, they would need to pay £99.

Grace expressed how she is concerned that even after correcting the error, the birth certificate will still list Lilah as male, with a small note indicating that it has been changed to female.

She added: “This could cause significant issues for our daughter throughout her life, as it would imply she is transgender when she is biologically female.

“If she chooses to identify differently later in life, that is her decision. But at just five weeks old, she cannot make that choice.

“It's unfair for her birth certificate to say male, which could negatively impact her in various aspects of life, such as school, jobs, and relationships – due to a mistake that is not her fault.

“We feel wronged by the system regarding this error, and the only way to properly address it seems to be by bringing it to parliament's attention.”

Grace and Ewan have contacted Ashfield MP Lee Anderson for assistance with this issue.

As registry offices are operated by Nottinghamshire County Council, your Chad has invited the council to discuss the mistake and address concerns raised by Grace and Ewan.