Mumsnet Talk

Not sure if this should be in legal, money or divorce but here goes. . My husband walked out a year ago. Before I could do anything he drained our joint bank accounts - I had no accounts in my name. I now want to put my salary in my own account so I opened one online on Monday in my maiden name of Jane Smith and not my married name of Jane Jones (not my real names, btw!). I have not done anything legally about reverting to my maiden name.

This morning the docs arrived. I have to provide photo ID before the account can be activated. My passport is in the name of Jane Jones . . .Will the bank accept this, plus my marriage certificate and birth certificate as proof of identity? I can also supply pay slips showing the name change - my national insurance no. and employee number are on them too.

I should have opened the account in my married name and then changed it but I'm trying to get things started now and want to leave the old name behind . . .

I don't think they will. I worked in a call centre for a bank and I regularly had people questioning this.

Basically for that bank you need to apply for the account in the name on your identification, eg passport, driving license. Otherwise they couldn't open the acc for fraud reasons. So this may be the same.

Also in order to change the name on an account that was open you needed to provide proof of name change. When you change name you get a letter/document to say its been legally changed.

Ring them and ask if they will accept it.

Thanks penguin. Had a snow day today so walked into town to bank but they were shut! Have conflicting advice - one friend says what i'm proposing was what she did and bank were fine, another says there were problems. I won't know until I get to the bank! Hey, if I have to keep 'his' name for a little longer I will.

Hopefully they will let you open one but worst case is to open one in your current married name and then change it asap

Well, I went to the bank this morning. Explained the situation, produced passport in 'married' name and council tax bill. No questions asked, account now open. I apparently have a 'mirror' account where both names are accepted. Good!

I have bank accounts in both married and maiden names as I work professionally under my maiden name. ALSO I have noticed on your drivers licence there is a space for you to write in any other names you use or go by. This should cover you for photo ID I presume