Double-Barrel Name Change

[Mablethorpe]

I want to double barrel my husbands surname with my maiden name, after having been known by only my husbands surname for the last 15 years.

I think I know it's quite easy to do but how do I go about legally changing it and will I need to change my passport straight away?

There's no law forbidding you from using any name you want without changing it legally, unless you do it for fraudulent purposes.

If you want to use a different name on legal documents, then you can apply to change your name by deed poll:

www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll/overview

Since you can use any name you want, you don't need to change your name on official documents straight away, although it may be helpful if you want to use it in other places too.

You don't neccesarily need anything more than your marriage cert to double barrel your name. So long as both names are on there.

And I'm only mid way through doing mine, til my passport runs out (not buying a new one!). Waited til my passport ran out back when I changed it from my maiden name too!

You don't need to change your passport right away but any travel documents like tickets and such that you use with it need to be in the same name as your passport so if you do book a trip, that needs to be kept in mind.

In the UK, you don't technically need paperwork, you can just go on using the name, but lots of places prefer for changing paperwork if you have a deed poll or a statutory declaration. The Citizen Advice bureau has a free online thing here that you can fill in and print for it. For a typical deed poll, change the solicitor bit to two witnesses who see you sign in both the old and new name, I went with having a solicitor do it because that's what the US needed for my US passport - it was something like £20 for 4 copies to be witness, stamped, and signed and it works just as well in the UK for things like the bank.

For the HMRC and Child Benefit, you just can change most of it online without anything. I found having the HMRC one done helped to have done as evidence in some places while waiting for other ID.

Hope this helps :)

I used this site freedeedpoll.org.uk/
Straight forward, witnessed by my DH, accepted by DVLA & Passport office.