How do you change your name when you don't have anyone to sign?

[TheSunIsAlwaysThere]

I've lived in my house less than two years so I don't have anyone here who has known me for ten years. I've seen a solicitor today and I'd have to find two people who could go to the solicitors with me. If they can come they haven't known me long enough, and if they have they are housebound. Any ideas please as I am desperate to change my name and I applied ten months ago but they kept emailing saying I've sent the wrong stuff. I hadn't and that been cleared up but I'm still stuck.

I changed my name by deed poll, is that what you mean? I didn’t go to a solicitor, I went round to my witnesses house.

Applied to who?
All you need to do to legally change your name is create and sign a deed poll (templates online) and get it witnessed by 2 people.

Don’t use a solicitor just do your own deed poll, they don’t need to have known you any length of time, mine was signed by a fairly new neighbour when I did it.

That's what I assumed. I was told by the people at the deed poll that I'd need two people to sign it then go to a solicitor with them. Solicitor today said if I want it enrolled, which I do, then I need to do all the stuff I've said.

I've to get all this done then send it back to them to go to court apparently.

I don't think you need a solicitor for that I know you need witnesses to sign the form where I am it needs to be witnessed by a justice of the peace or a police officer even the pharmacy can sign as a witness

If you are desperate to change your name then why not make life easier and do an unenrolled one? They have the same legal status.

Honestly if you’re keen to do a name change I agree with @RappelChoan youte making it hard for yourself when you could do an unenrolled and be done with it, and same legal status,

Solicitor said if I wanted. it on my driving licence I needed it to be enrolled. I've already registered and paid for that option, back in December 2025.

Solicitor is not being honest.
I've changed everything from passport to driving license without an enrolled deed poll.

Solicitor is talking bollocks!

I changed my name by deedpoll for free and just got 2;colleagues to witness my signature.

This document that I printed off myself was sufficient to change my name on my driving licence and passport.

Yeah this is all bollocks, daughter changed her name by deed poll at 18 as she didn’t want her dad’s name. All done with forms and posted, no solicitor needed.

Op are you definitely sure a new name is something you want, especially as you had it presumably since birth? Would it be ok if a share a story of something relevant?

Old friend of many years wanted her name changed - fine. But I said have a trial period first of pretending your name is the one she had in mind. She ordered a Starbucks coffee one day and you know when they ask your name whilst they prepare? Well the realisation of it all hit her when she heard her new name called. She snatched the coffee and ran out crying. She still has the coffee cup with the name on to this day as a reminder that she actually likes her birth name

I'm so confused. I am wondering whether it is worth getting one firm signed by the two people I have in mind and send that to them and see what happens. I presumably need some kind of proof to send to official bodies?

Obviously I am very clear I want to change my name otherwise I wouldn't be going through all this. For the record I'm keeping my first name and changing my middle and last name.

This is what I've been sent -

To progress your application, we have attached three forms to complete and return to us by post. Instructions on how to complete each form and links to more detailed guidance are below:
Change of name deed (LOC020)

• This form contains the information you provided in your online application and will become your final change of name deed once you and your witnesses have signed it and it has been sealed in the High Court.
• You need to print and sign this form in front of 2 witnesses. The witnesses will also need to sign the form. The witnesses can have known you for any length of time and must not be related to you by birth or marriage.
• You need to post your completed form back to the Deed Poll office along with your completed statutory declaration (LOC021) and exhibit cover sheets (LOC027).

Statutory declaration (LOC021)

• A statutory declaration is a document that must be completed by a person that knows you. They must declare that you are who your application says you are. They are referred to as the ‘declarant’.
• You need to print the statutory declaration (LOC021) for your declarant to complete. The statutory declaration must be printed single-sided.
• Once the declarant has completed the statutory declaration, they must swear it is true in the presence of someone authorised to witness the signing of important legal documents.
• For more information, read our detailed guidance on how to complete the statutory declaration.

Exhibit cover sheets (LOC027)

• An ‘exhibit’ is a document used in court as evidence. The court needs exhibits as proof of who your application says you are.
• When your declarant takes the statutory declaration to be verified by the authorised witness, include a cover sheet alongside each exhibit referenced:
• Exhibit A – a photocopy of the change of name deed (LOC020)
• Exhibit B – evidence of citizenship
• Exhibit C – marriage or civil partnership certificate (if married or in a civil partnership) or divorce decree (if divorced) or spouse’s death certificate (if widowed)
• When you return your forms to us, you do not need to include the exhibits as we have these on record from your online application. Only include the cover sheet for each exhibit.
• For more information, read our detailed guidance on exhibits.

What happens next
Once you have completed the relevant forms, post your forms to the Deed Poll office:
Deed Poll office
King’s Bench. Etc

Honestly, unenrolled is fine (I’ve done it).

You can use that to change your passport and driving licence, and once you have those changing everything else is easy.

You do not need to complete that form or pay a solicitor in order to change your name and have it legally recognised by everyone including banks, HMRC, the passport office, the NHS, the DWP and your employer. There are a lot of shady profiteering companies online who rely on people not understanding the legality of this. You can write out a statement which gives the date you renounce your old name and stating your new one. Having 2 witnesses who can sign is best practice, and these should be non relatives, that’s it. 98% of people have unenrolled Deed Polls. Don’t overthink this, it’s a simple process.

Ignore your solicitor.

Free deed poll here…….

https://freedeedpoll.org.uk/

You fill in the online form, print a few copies from the website then get them signed by two people.

You can do a free deed poll, or you can make a statutory declaration, or just start using your new name.

All are free.

Me too

I did an unenrolled one to change my name, my driving license and passport are all in my new name, my unenrolled deed poll was also fine when I emigrated to a different country.

You do not need a solicitor. I changed my name by deed poll many years ago doing it myself. At the time it cost me around £30
I had to supply proof of name change to relevant parties. I had no issues with anyone at all. This included my driving licence, bank, passport etc.

Yeah you definitely don’t need to do all that unless you want it enrolled. Why do you want it enrolled?

When I changed my name all I used was a deed poll I got free from the internet, two witnesses and that was enough for a new passport and driving licence. If I recall, I think I changed it at the bank first as the passport office needed proof I was using my name, and then included a bank statement from the bank with my application.

Thank you everyone. This has reassured me.

What I have done is paid the fee to the Government deed poll service, I have those forms mentioned above, so can I just get the two people who can to sign them and then do I have to send them somewhere? I am wondering about proof etc when I ask the bank and the driving licence company etc to change my name on bank cards and licenses.

To hopefully stop any frustration, I do have a brain injury which manifests itself in taking a minute to understand things and not trusting that I have.

I went for enrolled as I wanted it done properly as a neighbour did it and it didn't seem legal.