Name change help

[Greenkit]

I did post in legal, but would kinda like an answer now

I have separated from my husband, 6 1/2 months now. We have just split the house, i.e. he bought me out and money in my bank..

I want to change my name to my maiden name, are there only two official options?

1. Divorce
2. Name change via deedpoll

Nop you can also do a statutory declaration, just tell everyone you are using your maiden name, it is perfectly legal.

If you decide to go down the deed poll route you can get a free one, and it is exactly the same as one you pay for.

So is it a legal doc, that I can use to change banks details, passport and driving docs?

Yeah you can change and use whatever name you want.

Basic draft just nees to be

"CHANGE OF NAME / STATUTORY DECLARATION

I (name) of (address) have given up my former name and adopted for all purposes the name (new name)

Signed as a deed on (date) as (full new name) in the presence of

Witness full name and address – can be anyone

Signed

and

Second witness name and address

Signed_

Witnessed by_

Your full name and signature.

Done.

Technically you don't need any paperwork to change your name, for your passport you can use your birth certificate and just add a letter saying you are using your maiden name.

Parly has give the wording for a deed poll.

In my experience the passport office are the easiest people to change your name with, if you do that first you can use your passport for everything else, just take both your new and old passports with you.

Fabulous, thank you very much.

Away for a few days at the end of the week, as soon as I get back I will change my passport

Just as an add on...

If my birth certificate says Lin Greenkit and I want to change it to Lyn Greenkit, can I just do that?

@Greenkit

Yeah course just draft up your own change of name declaration and alter the spelling with your full name :)

@Greenkit, my husband changed his name via statutory declaration - he signed it in front of a solicitor (he paid £5 for this) - no other witnesses were needed.

See here for acceptable witnesses:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-declarations