Website of the UK government

Esther Rantzen traced her family history

Esther Rantzen traced her own family history on the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? She said: "Unravelling the secrets of my family was an incredible and emotional journey, one that I am pleased to have taken, even if some of the truths uncovered were hard to accept.

"Finding out where you come from helps inform who you are, and I am delighted to know that more people will be able to make their own personal discoveries using Directgov in an accessible and affordable way."

General Register Office information

Public information about registering births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales has moved from the GRO (General Register Office) website and is now available on Directgov.

You can now find information on registering births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths, including details of how adopted adults can access their original birth records or place their details on the Adoption Contact Register.

James Hall, the Registrar General for England and Wales said: "I am confident that all those accessing Directgov for information on topics such as getting married, registering a birth or what to do after a death, will find the information clear and helpful. People using the online ordering service will come through directly to the General Register Office, the only holders of the national record for England and Wales."

Saving you time and money

Following programmes like the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?, interest in genealogy has grown rapidly in recent years.

Investigating your family history on Directgov can save you both time and money. Some commercial companies charge as much as £30.00 for a birth certificate but each certificate costs from just £7.00 if you order online via Directgov.

Jayne Nickalls, Chief Executive of Directgov, said: "This is a wonderful addition to the Directgov family and we are delighted to begin hosting this information. People don’t need to pay over the odds for what is an essential legal and historical document of life in the UK. Directgov can play a key role in helping people to access it and in saving money."

• Family history and research