Talk me through changing your name by deed poll

[lynnannebenfield]

Just that really, I've had an idea for a while about changing my last name,

i'm interested in the overall cost, how long and complicated the process is, what difficulties you faced afterwards if any such as costs and process with banks and other official places etc.

I'm not talking about getting married just changing your last name to something totally different.

Thank you

I changed my name about 11 years ago so back then I paid £50. Was really simple.to change it, only thing is you have to give birth certificate and deed poll certificate when getting anything done officially ie passport, driving licence. You do have to declare previous names used for things like bank accounts etc. But I can say, in 11 years, it's not caused me major problems

Check on gov.uk website and there's a template to use.

I changed my name 2 years ago.

Very, very easy to do. Lots of people assume it’s a hassle but it’s actually not. I just wish I did it sooner!

Within a week, my name was changed at every organisation and I had received my new passport and new bank cards. Within 2 weeks, I had received my driving license back and the final bank (Barclaycard, had to post my deed poll to them instead of doing it in branch) had updated my name and sent my new card. At that point all the admin was over.

The only costs were the deed poll (but you can make a valid one yourself for free) and passport renewal cost, maybe the postage for a couple of letters.

I changed my name everywhere before my new ID arrived, literally just used the deed poll alone. Never needed my birth certificate. Most companies allow you to change it over the phone or online (inc HMRC). Only my work, banks and GP had to be done in person.

There is no cost for the deed poll itself
And there is no “official” deed poll office - some companies try to look official and are charging to produce the form and add a posh looking crest to the page!

The “deed” basically needs to state what your old name was and that you will be using the new name for all purposes in the future - it must state it is “signed as a deed”
Then dated and witnessed by two witnesses - good idea to have two or the “originals - then get passport or driving licence in new name and then change other things as necessary- I think it can be a nuisance if you have qualifications in a different name - can take longer for employment checks again if previous companies only have old name -

I changed mine using a free deed poll.

For me, the complicated bit was that if you don't get an enrolled deed poll (for which you have to pay), you have to get your ID updated in quite a specific order, and you need certain forms of proof that you are already using the name you're changing to.

So, when I did it, I got my free deed poll done (ie., printed it out and had two friends sign it).

Then, the passport office will accept deed poll plus proof you're using the name legally - in my case they accepted a job offer letter made out to me under my new name. That got me my passport, and banks and the DVLA accept the passport plus the deed poll.

The sticky bit is getting the proof that the passport office will take, IME. If you had time, you could arrange to pay bills under your new name, and those would count; you could ask work to start issuing you payslips under the new name (if they will), and that would count.

Ironically, the reason I changed my name legally was that it's the name I go by at work. I got a new job and they insisted I had to show them a passport with my work name to confirm the job offer ... so I acquired a passport with my work name by showing the passport office my conditional job offer. Ridiculous, right?!

There’s no cost. It’s really really simple.

Follow the online template. Get a professional to sign it.

Did it for free using an online template and printed out at home. Two mates signed it in the pub. Did multiple signed copies so I had multiple originals to send off.

Sent it off for new passport and driving licence and it was accepted by them no problem. Went in to the bank with a copy and they sent me new cards/cheque book etc. Filled out an online form for HMRC, no evidence required. Took a copy into the drs for medical records etc.

Only place that kicked up a stink that it wasn't an official document because it didn't 'have a stamp' was my credit card company. They couldn't advise whose stamp would make it official, just that it needed a stamp. Many months back and forth, they finally changed it when I pointed out that if I cancelled my account and applied for a new one with my new PP and DL that they would accept these as valid docs in my new name. Every time I complained they gave me 30 quid as compensation, so while it was a frustrating few months it was quite lucrative as I cottoned on and complained regularly.

@SarahAndQuack your experience was quite convoluted - it certainly isn’t the norm.

Proof for the passport office was easy. HMRC allow you to change your name via a web form. You could then have logged into your HMRC tax account and printed off a NI Number letter. It takes seconds to obtain and would be accepted as it’s a letter from the council.

DVLA just needs your license + deed poll, no other documents (inc passport) are needed as you’re just updating your name and not applying for a license.

No one “needs” an enrolled deed poll.

Oh, there are definitely easier ways to do it! I suggested a couple in my post, if you saw.

It was convoluted for me because I was unemployed, not paying taxes, and didn't have bills in my name.

I really just posted to illustrate how bizarre the chain of logic can be - the passport people believed a letter from my prospective employer proved I'd changed my name; my prospective employed believed the passport office proved it. But they were each using the other as a source of trustworthy information!

(Oh, and I was doing it in a tearing hurry, because no other employer had ever given a flying fuck that my work name is not my legal name, because I'd always just taken my passport along and explained why I publish under a different name.)

Look up statutory declaration.

I found template. Adjusted it to fit.

Found two professionals who knew me to witness it.

Job done.

No cost except printer ink.

Accepted by every organisation I've used it with including passport dvla bank and more.

I am thinking of doing this. I have never liked my Christian name and now I’m thinking of changing it. Did most people change their surname or Christian name? Did it feel weird being called something else afterwards?

We had the Solicitor do it when we were buying our house (same office). £20 signed some papers and she gave us 4 copies of the paperwork. Done.

I did a free deed poll name change but my mortgage company would only accept one by the uk deed poll service which cost about £35. Wish i had paid for extra copy at the time though as lost the original and need it for pensions company now.