I’ve signed my deed poll—what next?
You need to inform all organisations that hold records for you that you’ve changed your name. Most of them will want to see your original deed poll and a simple covering letter from you explaining that you’ve changed your name for all purposes.
Who you need to inform
It’s illegal to change your name with the intention of avoiding an obligation or debt. Therefore it’s important that you tell everybody about your new name.
This is a suggested list:
- current employer, and former employers where you have a pension
- anyone you do business with
- school / college / university
- landlord
- HM Passport Office—to renew your passport
- DVLA (using form D1)—to update your driving licence and your vehicle registration certificate (V5C)
- HMRC—to update your tax, National Insurance, CIS, Government Gateway, Child Benefit, and Pension Service records
- Child Benefit Office (if you have changed your child's name and you are claiming Child Benefit)
- Land Registry (if you own land or property)
- GP (who will update your NHS records for you)
- dentist and other healthcare professionals
- local authority (council)—for matters such as council tax, housing benefit and social services
- the electoral registration officer at your local authority
- utility companies (water, electricity, gas)
- telephone company
- mobile telephone company
- Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- TV Licensing
- banks / building society / credit card companies
- mortgage provider
- Student Loans Company
- any individual or company you have had loans from, or you owe money to
- Child Trust Fund account provider
- National Savings & Investments, for example if you hold Premium Bonds
- investment companies
- companies you have shares in
- pension providers
- insurance companies (e.g. car, medical, life, household, endowments, buildings)
- motoring organisations, e.g. AA, RAC
- trade unions, and professional bodies you belong to
- clubs, societies and associations
- local library services
Enrolling your deed poll
If you want to enrol your deed poll then you’ll need to follow the instructions in leaflet LOC019. If you want to enrol your deed poll, you must generate a deed poll suitable for enrolment (by answering “yes” to the question “Do you want the deed poll to be suitable for enrolment?”).
Note that it is not a legal requirement to enrol your deed poll, and doing so will not affect the legal status of your name in any way. Government bodies such as HM Passport Office do not require you to enrol your deed poll.