Deed Poll

Providing you are a British citizen you may still use our service to change your name even if you are living abroad at present.

Providing you are currently residing in the UK you do not need to be a British citizen to change your name by Deed Poll.

You must not use any names that are offensive, rude or lead people to believe that you have gained a title such as Lord, Lady, Sir etc.

The witness can be anyone you choose providing they are not related to you and are over the age of 18.

After changing your name by Deed Poll you are agreeing to completely revoke the use of your former name and use only your new name in every instance thereafter. However, some employers will give you permission to continue to use your former name if you have used it to build up a good business reputation.

A fully comprehensive list of everyone that you will need to inform of your name change will be included in your FREE Deed Poll information pack. There is no official time frame in which you should notify people of your name change; however you should start to do this as soon as you receive your Deed Poll certificate.

No. You may not change your name on Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates or Decree Absolutes. Your Deed Poll document should be kept with your Birth Certificate to prove your name change.

Yes, you will have to use a Deed Poll to change your name to a double-barrelled surname. If your husband also wishes to change to a double-barrelled surname, he will also need to use a Deed Poll.

Yes, you can apply for a Deed Poll in exactly the same way as you would if you lived in the rest of the UK.

If you can prove that you have made every possible attempt to locate your husband’s whereabouts but to no avail, then you can go ahead and change your son's name without the consent of your husband.

Yes, if you were married to the father of your child at the time of your child's birth or have married him at any time subsequent to the birth, your ex-husbands consent would be required. Even though you are now divorced your husband still has joint parental responsibility.

No, as you were not married to your child's father at the time of your child's birth and have not married him since, you have sole parental responsibility. Consent is therefore only required from the mother.