How to change your name with HMRC

Start with GOV.UK’s name-change service and sign in; create sign-in details there if needed. You can also use the HMRC app. Start from the official HMRC change-of-details page, rather than paying an intermediary to report the change.

Follow the identity checks and information requested by the official service. Self Assessment details update after you report the change. Business records need separate attention. Child Benefit has its own reporting route. Keep any confirmation you receive and check that the name displayed in your account is correct. If you also moved home, check your address separately.

Use a device you trust and make sure you can complete your normal HMRC sign-in checks. Have the exact new name and any requested supporting record to hand. Follow the service’s prompts rather than sending an unsolicited identity-document attachment to an address found in a search result.

1. Open the official change-of-details page and follow its name-change link, or open the genuine HMRC app.
2. Sign in, or follow the official process for setting up access.
3. Enter the requested details carefully, checking spelling, spaces and hyphens.
4. Complete any checks HMRC asks for and keep the outcome for your records.
5. If the update does not appear or the service cannot verify you, use HMRC’s own support route.

We do not access your tax account, handle your sign-in code or send this request for you. You do not need to enter your National Insurance number anywhere on this website to read this guide or use the organiser.

No. GOV.UK states that your National Insurance number stays the same for life. A name update changes the personal details associated with records; it is not an application for a new number.

Keep using your existing number when an authorised organisation requests it. If you cannot find it, use the official recovery route linked from GOV.UK. Do not create a second identity record simply because a payslip, letter or online account still displays your previous surname.

Your employer’s HR or payroll team through its usual secure process. Ask which evidence it needs; request a dated letter or payslip in your new name once its records are updated. Payroll reports contain your name. Updating your employer does not replace telling HMRC yourself. An employer letter can help with DVLA evidence requirements.

Ask HR which records it will update: payroll, workplace pension administration, staff directories and correspondence can be handled by different systems. Tell payroll if your bank has also changed the name recorded on the receiving account. Check your next payslip and raise a mismatch with the team that produced it.

These are practical checks for keeping records consistent. They do not change how your tax is calculated or replace advice about your tax affairs.

HMRC says your Self Assessment details are updated once you have reported the name or address change. Running a business can involve additional records, so check the business guidance linked from HMRC’s personal-details page.

A person changing their surname is different from changing a limited company’s registered name, changing a trading name or changing a tax agent’s details. Identify which change you are making before using a form. If you use an accountant, tell them the name and date you are now using so they can help you check the relevant records.

Check each claim separately. Child Benefit has an official reporting service. Universal Credit has its own change-of-circumstances process, and other benefits may be administered by different offices or devolved services.

Do not delay reporting a benefit change while waiting for HMRC or your bank to finish an update. Follow each provider’s evidence instructions and coordinate any payment-detail changes. Our benefits name-change guide explains these separate routes.

Use the free name change organiser to track HMRC, your employer, banks and other selected records. Mark an item complete after confirming it has actually changed. It stores no tax reference or name, and optional progress saving stays in your own browser.

If you still need evidence linking your names, first check the document chooser. A certificate may fit your circumstances. An unenrolled deed poll can be prepared with our free template, or you can choose optional personalised PDF preparation for £14.99. Document preparation does not include notifying HMRC.