What Documents You Need & How to Apply
Whether you want to change your name due to a recent marriage, civil partnership, divorce, or just because you fancied a change; there are a particular set of steps which one must go through if they want to legally change their name by deed poll. In this article, we have set out to answer your most frequently asked questions regarding changing name by deed poll: who to notify, what you need and what you must do in order to legally change your name.
- Changing name by deed poll: who to notify
- Do I need to tell HMRC if I change my name?
- How much does it cost to change your name by deed poll?
- What documents do you need to change your name by deed poll?
Changing Name by Deed Poll: Who to Notify
Once you have changed your name, there is a large list of record holders that will need to be notified of your legal name change. Your change of name deed poll pack will provide you with a comprehensive list of all the institutions that will need to be notified. Whilst many of these will usually accept a photocopy of the document, it must be noted that record holders such as HM Passport Office, your banking provider and the DVLA will want to see the original deed poll document or, at least, a legal copy of it. Taking this into consideration, the court will provide the party with several copies of the document to send off to the relevant record holders; however, our change of name by deed poll solicitors are able to make certified copies should you require them.
Do I need to tell HMRC if I change my name?
Yes. There are several ways you can notify HMRC to a change in your personal details for the purpose of Income Tax, National Insurance, Tax Credits, Student Loans and Child Benefits. You must ensure that you’ve updated your details for schemes and taxes, such as: Self- Assessment, PAYE, VAT, Corporation Tax and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). You can tell HMRC about your name change by logging into your online account with HMRC where you can edit your personal details. If you also submit a self-assessment tax return, then your details will be updated for both.
It should also be noted that in the event of a gender reassignment your change of name will be updated automatically.
What Documents Do You Need to Change Your Name by Deed Poll?
There are several forms of documentation that can be used as evidence of a name change depending on the circumstances surrounding the name change, for example:
- If you’re changing your name due to a divorce, then your decree absolute document is deemed as sufficient documentary evidence of your name change.
- In the event of a recent marriage or civil partnership and one party wants to change their surname then your original marriage certificate will be accepted. In this case, the DVLA will accept a decree nisi, however HM Passport Office will require your decree absolute.
- With regards to the changing of a child’s name; perhaps you’re changing your adopted child’s surname to that of your family’s, or perhaps you simply want to change your child’s name. The changing of any child’s forename or surname will require a deed poll as official evidence of a name change. In addition to this, all parties with a parental responsibility of any child under 16 years of age must provide written consent to the changing of a child’s name.
How Much Does It Cost to Change Your Name by Deed Poll?
When it comes to changing a name through deed poll, this can either be written up by the individual (known as an ‘unenrolled’ deed poll). Whilst this is completely free to do, it should be taken into consideration that some record holders, like bank providers or the Passport Office may not accept this as sufficient documentation. If unsure as to how produce a deed poll, the party may instruct a change of name by deed poll solicitor to write one up for them, however this usually will come with a fee.
Another option is to apply for an ‘enrolled’ deed poll which means the new name will be put on public record and is generally seen as an ‘officiated’ form of deed poll. To receive an ‘enrolled’ deed poll, the party must apply to the Royal Courts of Justice following the proper deed poll process. This costs £42.44 and the individual must be age 18 or over.
