Do I have to have one surname?

[Kerzehmet]

I have been married more than once. I have various documents with different surnames because I simply don't care enough tor them all to show the same name. If I could be like Cher or Madonna and only use my first name I would 
There is no intent to deceive. I will happily show any body/organisation relevant records ie marriage/divorce certificates. My question is, can I continue to have different names on my passport/driving licence or is there an actual legal requirement for everything to match?

I have different names on driving license and passport. The latter has my married name (which is double barrel of my maiden and my husband’s names) and DL has just the second part of the double barrel (husbands last name). I’ve never had an issue…

I had to have a ID check at work recently and had nothing that matched as we had also recently moved. If it had my married surname it was my old address. Even my bank account is both. My cashcard says my married surname but my account is in my birth surname.

Ive never had any issues.

I have bank accounts in my previous surname and my current one, and my driving licence is still in my previous surname.

I use my non double barrel for work and double barrel at home. I keep my driving licence and a couple of other things in single name so I have enough for dbs. You can have a second name on a passport in the notes

It's fine to use several different names as long as you don't try to deceive anyone.

I think your driving documents have to match - insurance and driving licence. But I don't know why I think this?!

Only issue I can see is if you need a DBS, as your name on 3 documents have to match, and you have to declare the dates you used different names.
I regularly do DBS checks for employees, one person didn't have their middle name on their driving licence, and didn't match the name on passport so couldn't use driving licence for DBS.

I had an issue proving right to work in the UK documentation as my passport (expired) didn't match my current legal name, did match photo driving licence though.

Think it was my employer being unable to understand and apply the government guidance though.

Oh if you buy a house it may be an issue due to the thorough anti laundering laws

There is no urgent need to change things but when you renew your passport and driving licence get them all aligned!

You can use as many different names as you want provided you aren't trying to deceive people. However, as others have said, this may cause problems if you need to prove your identity.

Thanks everyone! Some of the scenarios mentioned here have come up, for example, DBS and getting a remortgage. And although it's been a faff to explain and a bit embarrassing, it's not been a blocker to anything.

Relieved to know it's ok to carry on until I can be arsed to sort it all out!

My sister and I have both kept passports in our maiden names and married names on our driving licences, long term. We just have to use our marriage certificates sometimes as additional ID documentation, depending on what's required. I use my married name for family stuff and maiden name for work as do lots of friends and colleagues.

Our several years' widowed mother has just ordered a replacement marriage certificate. Having returned to the UK from overseas, stuff she deliberately kept in her maiden name* now needs sorting out and she doesn't have ID in that name any more (hadn't realised that they no longer kept both names in her passport as she had in the past).

*you've no idea how backward HMRC still was in the late 60s / early 70s, expecting to tax your husband once you were married. Even if said husband had never set foot in the UK and had nothing to do with the UK property you had a little bit of income from...