How to change your name by Deed Poll
Many people decide to change their original birth name and there are a host of reasons why they decide to including:
- through marriage and civil partnership to match your partner's surname or a new combined surname
- following divorce or separation
- because your birth name doesn't reflect who you are e.g. to reflect your gender identity if different from the gender you were assigned at birth
- your name doesn't suit your personality or it sounds outdated
- your birth name is too hard to pronounce or spell
- your birth name is associated with another person's poor reputation or news scandal; or
- you personally dislike it, you just don't like the name that was given to you.
In the UK, a person is free to change their first, middle and surname at any point just by referring to themselves with this new name, so long as the intention is not to defraud anyone in doing so. However, official agencies such as banks and government offices will require evidence of this change of name. This is where a Deed Poll comes in.
What is a Deed Poll?
A Deed Poll, also known as a Change of Name Deed is a legal document that allows anyone to alter and change their name. This legal document can be used as evidence of your new name for purposes such as amending your passport, driving licence or bank accounts.
Enrolling
Enrolling is quite an old-fashioned safe-keeping service, run by the Royal Courts of Justice in London. It is one way to obtain a replacement deed if it was ever lost. Enrolling a Deed Poll is NOT a legal requirement. If you choose to enrol with the courts you are making your name change a matter of public record. There are additional fees to be paid to the courts and you can, in fact, still apply for updated identity documents without the need to enrol the Deed Poll with the courts.
Changing a child’s name by Deed Poll
Children aged 16-17 may make their own Deed Poll, however, they are not able to enrol this themselves. Parental responsibility is needed to enrol the Deed Poll.
Children aged 15 and under will require consent from the adults who hold parental responsibility (most often the child’s parents) to change their name.
How we can help
At Lawson-West Solicitors we can assist in drafting the Deed Poll, providing certified copies for you to keep and providing a smooth service in updating your name and all for a fixed fee.
If this service is of interest, please contact us directly to discuss your requirements.
Fiona Wilson, Head of Family Department, Lawson-West Solicitors, Leicester
Tel: 0161 212 1000
fwilson@lawson-west.co.uk
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