In the United Kingdom, deed polls are an absolute necessity if you want to change your name. Deed polls allow you to change any part of your name, add or remove names, change spellings, and add or remove hyphens. When you are changing your name, you need to get a deed poll done to apply for a new passport and driving license.
UK Deed Poll Office is a private firm that remains committed to making the process of getting a deed poll fast, convenient, and stress-free. They have been issuing deed polls for more than eight years now, and their customer satisfaction levels are exceptionally high.
What does the deed poll indicate?
Filing a deed poll declares the following statements
- You will no longer be using your previous name.
- You will use your new name for all means and purposes from here on.
- You want people, organizations, and institutions to address you by your new name.
While filing the deed poll, you must remain careful of the restrictions on the name change in the United Kingdom. You cannot change your name if it causes public offence, infringes on intellectual property rights, or if you have a criminal record. In the last case, you have to notify the concerned police station before changing your name.
Services offered by the UK Deed Poll office
The UK Deed Poll Office specializes in issuing deed polls for name changes, and to date, has issued more than 136,000 deed polls. They guarantee that the deed polls they issue will be accepted by all relevant government organizations and offices; otherwise, you will get your money back.
To change your name, you have to visit the UK Deed Poll Office website and apply for either an Adult deed poll or a Child deed poll. You have to fill up the online application form and pay the money online. The cost is 18.50 pounds for both adult and child deed polls.
The UK Deed Poll Office processes deed poll applications on the same day you apply, and your deed poll will be dispatched within two working days. Then you have to sign and witness the original deed poll and all duplicate copies. That is all; you can now register your new name with all relevant government agencies.
After obtaining the deed poll
Along with the deed poll, the UK Deed Poll Office will give you a list of organizations to get your new name registered. You can use their ‘Draft Covering Letter’ facility to write to these organizations and request they send you updated documents.
Organizations included in this list are
- The Passport Office, where you would have to apply for a new passport.
- DVLA, where you have to get a driver’s license with your new name
- Banks
- Credit card providers
- HM Revenue and Customs, for updating tax and insurance details
- HM Land Registry, if you own land or property
There are many more institutions on this list. What is important to remember is that it isn’t just enough to get a deed poll from the UK Deed Poll Office. You would have to get your name changed on all official records to give it legal validity.
Final thoughts
Apart from issuing new deed polls, the UK Deed Poll office hosts all the necessary information about deed polls that you can get very easily. If you want to change your name but are not sure how to go about it, you may contact their customer service, which is very prompt and responsive. They will guide you for the entire process.