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Original poster

married and informing everyone :/

12 replies

lyndsayw42 · 27/11/2014 22:12

Hello , I am new here so bear with me

Me and my other half married back in 2008 just us and a couple of friends.

I have never used my married name and have never been known under it as i wanted to keep my maiden name for a while , so have not told anyone official we are married

Now we have decided to use my married name , but unsure how to go about telling tax credits , student finance , as we was married back in 2008 but as i said did never use the name or tell anyone we was married , We have not claimed anything we should not have , We have lived and claimed together since 2005.

I have looked on the internet and from what i can gather it is OK to use my maiden name if i wished but then a friend has told me i am in the wrong and will get done for this ? but unsure about the tax credits/ student finance things .

We was contemplating getting divorced then maybe re-married just to do it 'right' :/

I am worried if we tell them now we will get tax credits etc taken from us and be prosecuted.

If i am to tell them am i best sending a letter to them ?

thanks in advance ( very worried)

OP posts:
Cric · 27/11/2014 22:15

I don't think you need to be worried. I think as long as everything is in one name or the other it is ok. I think you would just need to take you marriage certificate to places you are changing your name? I have no idea ... This is just what I think!

UncrushedParsley · 27/11/2014 22:18

No problem using your maiden name. It's your name after all, you do not have to use your married name. The only problem is if you use a name in order to deceive for illegal purposes. (I'm para-phrasing, but you get the gist) Your friend is incorrect.

ilovepowerhoop · 27/11/2014 22:18

you dont have to change your name so will not get 'done' for not doing so. If you want to change your name then you do so by providing your marriage certificate as proof (it doesnt matter that it is dated so far in the past).

strongandlong · 27/11/2014 22:22

You haven't done anything wrong! You're not obliged to change your name when you get married, or at any point afterwards.

If you want to start using your married name now, you'll probably need to put it in writing. Some organisations will want to see a copy of the marriage certificate.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 27/11/2014 22:26

I don't think there are many systems nowadays where it matters whether you are married or single (living together or not is the thing, claiming you live separately when you don't for example would be a problem), just some insurances, pensions etc. I don't think it makes any difference to tax credits etc. I got married 14 years ago and never informed anyone, if I fill in forms I put married, but anything that I was linked to pre-marriage will still I guess have me down as single.

tribpot · 27/11/2014 22:40

I love the idea that you could get done for not using your married name. I don't have a married name - I have a name. And I happen to be married. The two facts are not connected. So if you're going to prison I will be right alongside you!

I think I would just phone the tax credit people and say you want to notify them of a name change as you have decided to adopt your married name. I don't think they will be utterly horrified that you've decided to do this some years after being married. Please don't contemplate getting divorced because of this for a single second, it's perfectly normal.

Looking at HMRC's page on reporting family changes to them they clearly would like to know you're married but aren't making much of a song and dance about it. You could easily claim you didn't realise they would want to know.

MatildaV · 27/11/2014 23:26

It won't be a problem because you can use whatever name you want, whether you're married or single. As you say, you've always told them that you're living together, and that's what they're interested in, not your marital status. If you want to change your name with them, then just tell them that you're now switching over to your married name, it's not unusual at all to be married several years before doing that, or to not do it all.

Stop worrying, you've done nothing wrong Smile

annielostit · 28/11/2014 07:07

I was married for a year before I changed my name, I'm still maiden on my phone bill. As long as you've not defrauded them there's no bother.

specialsubject · 28/11/2014 10:54

your mate is a bit of a twerp. In the UK marriage does not change your name. If you WANT to change your name, marriage is an opportunity to do so without deed poll.

in most situations whether you are living together or married is irrelevant. The only big one that is affected is a will and inheritance; marriage nullifies wills.

also if you have a passport and want to change the name, you'll be buying a new passport. So if you are travelling, I would keep your own name until the passport expires.

SavoyCabbage · 28/11/2014 11:02

Imagine if you had to change your name to your husbands when you got married. It would be outrageous.

It took me about a year to change mine. I just did it in the same way I would if we had just married and nobody questioned it.

People will probably think you are thinking of having a baby,

TrendStopper · 28/11/2014 11:22

As long as you are claiming as a couple and not a single person it doesnt matter which surname you use.

pink0701 · 28/07/2015 19:31

Would HMRC find out if you got married and havent told them?

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