Birth certificates to get new design

BIRTH AND death certificates issued in England and Wales are to have a new background design, the Office for National Statistics announced today.

The traditional red tint background for birth certificates and grey for deaths are to be replaced by a blue tint with a central design incorporating the rose and daffodil emblems of England and Wales.

The alterations will affect around four million certificates issued each year and it is the first major design change for 50 years.

Register offices will phase in the new certificates from late spring so that all certificates from 1 January will have the new background.