Deed poll help please

[Illbefinejustbloodyfine]

I've been googling, can I really just draw one up myself, get it witnessed and that's it? No connections with other countries so just needed for UK, banks, driving license and all that stuff.

Better to do it via a solicitor

Yes you can. Don’t need to throw money at it.
check the advice on gov.uk.
I did so. I changed my bank account with a personal letter. Then my passport and now it’s almost as if my original name didn’t exist. I barely come across it and don’t have to explain it.

I did it online, got a very official looking document and several copies for a pretty nominal amount. You shouldn't really need one but I found it really helpful/convincing when switching from XDHs name back to my own name.

Why do you say that?

Google 'free deed poll' and yes you can do it yourself.

I did mine when my passport was up for renewal, I sent it off and the passport was issued in my new name.

I then took both passports to places I wanted my name changing.

OK so you just did the correct wording and that was that? There seem to be companies charging to do it for you but seems totally unnecessary.

Thank you!! I'm so excited to get rid of my exs name. He's dragging the divorce out and costing me a bloody fortune but if I can do this myself I'll be delighted!

Yes there are people who charge you for it, it's just a con to get money after you.

If you are going back to your maiden name you don't need a deed poll but the free one is simple to do.

Yes it is my maiden name but I want to get it done rather than wait for the divorce. Thanks all!

I used a website and got someone to witness it. Would never pay the solicitors fees, mine cost about £20 in total for me and dd

Mine was completely free, just google free deed poll, mine was from here: https://freedeedpoll.org.uk/
You just need to get it witnessed. Mine's been accepted everywhere. I've never had issues in the 10 years since I NC'd.

I did it online - no solicitor, no issues

Yes you can. Mine was completely free, got it witnessed by a couple of friends at work, have had no issues with it in over 5 years. Don’t waste money if you don’t have to.

Absolutely not. Why would you pay money for something so simple that you can do for free?

I used the free deed poll that @Mareleine linked to. It’s completely free and easy.

BUT BUT BUT if you’re reverting to your maiden name I think you just use it. The way I understand it is that your maiden name is always yours, when you marry you don’t give it up, so you just change it without a deed poll. Your birth certificate is in your maiden name.

From what I've read, you can revert with divorce, but I'm not yet divorced (years later, not by my choice...)

Anyone who says you should use a solicitor or pay in any way for it, or register it here or there, send them this.

https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/technology-innovation/business-selling-bottles-of-cotswold-air-for-90-sets-its-sights-on-the-tourism-industr/

Not at all? That would be a huge waste of money.

the gov or the free template linked above is all you need OP, I did that, got my passport changed and then used that plus the passport as proof everywhere to change everything else, was straight forward and no issues with it just being the gov uk free template one.

Oh I didn’t know that.

I found this comment, it might be helpful?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4973540-revert-to-maiden-name-but-still-happily-married?reply=131836805&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

You don't need to be divorced to use your maiden name, legally you can call yourself anything you want as long as it isn't for fraudulent purposes.

You can also use one name at work and another for other purposes, lots of actors do that but it isn't exclusive, Cherie Booth didn't use her married name until her husband became PM.

As above, your maiden name is YOUR name. No changing just start using it again. PAY NO MONEY!

Pp suggesting solicitor or company is uninformed or a solicitor (ironically I am a solicitor)

On the deed poll it says you are renouncing your previous name.

How long do you think it is reasonable to take to switch over ID, bank accounts etc etc?

I didn’t do anything to revert to my birth name. I just picked a date and then told people and the bank, driving licence. Cost nowt, zero paperwork.
There’s a few places that wanted proof of divorce, they can presumably wait.
Start using your own name today!

You don't need to be divorced to go back to your maiden name

There's SUCH a lot of conflicting information. I've just done a name change on my banking app and sent my "diy" deed poll, so I'll wait and see if they accept it. I copied the wording from the government website, so should be OK but who knows.