Breach of data protection?

[Ceejay123]

I've just had student finance on the phone yet again... They've been trying to assess my partner as a parent, our little one is six months old! Anyway, we sent his Birth certificate in, along with a cover letter with my partners reference number and name. So how has the birth certificate just come through the post addressed to me?

Student finances answer: Erm, it must be a clerical error.. They must have written the first name and address on the birth certificate.

Really!? What if we were separated.. Or had moved! It's seriously wound me up.. Somebody else could have received my little ones birth certificate!! X

 

[missbabypo]

My original birth certificate was lost when my mum had to send it to the income support office. Who knows who has it. I would write and complain x

 

[Ceejay123]

I'm definitely Going to! Like I said to them, if I was his ex and he did that, I'd now have his birth certificate. Very angry. Did you write to complain x

 

[tallybee]

I know it seems alarming but in truth anyone can request any birth certificate from a reg office, for a small fee. All they'd need to know is the name and year of birth (specific date if it's quite a popular name).

 

[suzib76]

I was going to say what tallybee just did, if an ex wanted a copy of a birth certificate they can just go and buy one

I don't really see the problem tbh, they sent your Lo's birth certificate to you

 

[Ceejay123]

Its just that my name/reference number and address werent even in the document/letter we sent. If we'd moved etc it would have been awful as they literally just copied the first name and address they saw on the certificate, rather than doing it properly. It was a silly clerical error that could have been much worse.

 

[missbabypo]

No my didn't complain as it never actually reached them (or so they claimed). It is true about being able to get a copy of one pretty easily. You just need full name, dob and place of birth x