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Original poster

DBS title/birth surname nonsense

25 replies

NineNine · 03/09/2018 17:49

I am married. I didn't change my name. I have used Ms since I was 18.

I am filling out a form for DBS for my university course, through some private organisation's online system.

If you put your 'gender' as 'female' (Hmm), then unless you choose Miss, it asks for your birth surname and the date you used it until. There is no option for stating that you are still using, and will be continuing to use, your birth surname. Every single other title (except male ones such as Mr, or Father, which it won't let you use), it assumes you have changed your surname. Dr, Sister, Squadron Leader...

What am I supposed to put? There is no date which I can say I used my birth surname 'until'. I could put today's date, but that will be incorrect as of tomorrow. The furthest into the future it will let me put is the end of this year. I've emailed them, and I know there is little hope of them changing the form, and I will probably just be told to put in today's date. But, it's just stupid. Grrr.

DBS title/birth surname nonsense
DBS title/birth surname nonsense
OP posts:
Wanderabout · 03/09/2018 18:02

How annoying and silly.

mikeTV · 03/09/2018 18:06

Yep. It's ridiculous. Just out today's date. Hopefully they'll put 2&2 together. You won't be the first.

pallisers · 03/09/2018 18:07

I'd just leave it blank. ridiculous.

OldCrone · 03/09/2018 18:08

Can you put the same name in both surname fields, with a random date in the 'until' box?

Purpleartichoke · 03/09/2018 18:11

Definitely complain

For now, I’d use your birthdate.

TheHollowLeggedGoat · 03/09/2018 18:11

Can you put the same name in both surname fields, with a random date in the 'until' box?
Or indeed the date of your 18th birthday, so you were Miss NineNine until you turned 18 and thereafter have been known as MsNineNine?

Original poster
NineNine · 03/09/2018 18:13

Can't leave it blank, it won't let me.

I will just put in a random date. But it just one of those niggles. Some idiot created it with a whole set of wrong ideas.

OP posts:
thatdamnwoman · 03/09/2018 18:16

Adopt Miss or Ms or Dr of Squadron Leader as your new title.

Then complain.

OrchidInTheSun · 03/09/2018 18:23

I had this recently. The woman I spoke to at the organisation (not the same one) said that, as I had been known as Miss Orchid as a child, I was now using a different name. I said that it was idiotic and sexist as a man wouldn't be challenged for not putting Master down in his list of names. She had no answer to that.

Infuriating

VickyEadie · 03/09/2018 19:23

It's stupid, but just put the same name down. It'll work.

Fatted · 03/09/2018 19:25

I'd put it down as until your 18th birthday.

I still use my non-married name professionally. I don't think the form would be able to cope with that.

newtlover · 03/09/2018 19:27

I have had exactly this, I sent it in with a covering note, as on a previous occassion the form was returned to me because I had not given details of my divorce
(married+Ms+using birth surname=divorced, apparently)

speakingwoman · 03/09/2018 19:28

why can't you put down today's date as the date you used it up to?

AndhowcouldIeverrefuse · 03/09/2018 20:01

Hopefully they'll put 2&2 together.

No they won't - in my experience they are of the "computer says no" persuasion.

heebiejeebie · 03/09/2018 20:13

I’ve had mine sent back for the same and was told that I had to put in the same (my only ever) name is as ‘previous name’. Institutional sexism. I’m afraid that I just did as I was told and sent it back and never complained officially. Ashamed to say that I would happily join a petition to get this changed but insufficient energy to do it myself.

LassWiADelicateAir · 03/09/2018 22:33

There was a thread a wee while back about this. I had no problem using Ms on the official DBS site for Scotland. I think the problem the last time this was discussed was a poster was using a site which wasn't the direct uk.gov site but one of those "helpful" sites which process DBS, passports etc.

Original poster
NineNine · 04/09/2018 06:51

I think that’s the problem Lass. The university are using this company to do their DBS checks for them I guess. There have been other problems with the form further along the process so it’s just badly designed in general. If I can figure out who at the University to contact I’ll let them know.

OP posts:
Banana8080 · 04/09/2018 07:43

Stuff like this drives me up the wall!

Evianliveyoung1 · 04/09/2018 20:21

Oh don’t be so petty

mikeTV · 04/09/2018 20:51

I just put my surname wherever it asks for previous names etc.

It's not petty it's fucking annoying.

Evianliveyoung1 · 04/09/2018 21:40

It’s petty. Just put the surname your using and leave the other fields blank! Some people change their name, others do not.

heebiejeebie · 04/09/2018 22:07

The point is you can’t leave the other fields blank. The default is that t
You have changed your name not that you retain it.

BOO32 · 04/09/2018 22:12

I complained about this with the paper form more than 10 years ago, I don't see why they assumed a woman using Ms or who is married must have changed her name.

I thought more recent DBS forms didn't have the same problem.

13pockets · 03/05/2024 16:46

Im filling out my DBS today and it still has the same problem. I didnt change my surname after marriage.

CatusFlatus · 03/05/2024 17:07

I was filling in a form yesterday that didn't even have the option Ms. Did have Mx though FFS.

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