Who to Notify When You Change Your Name: Complete Checklist
Quick answer
Who should skip this
If you have not yet signed a deed poll or gathered a marriage certificate, stop. Organisations cannot update a name you have not yet executed. Make the document first, then work this list.
Checked by Sarah Ellison, paralegal — last reviewed 22 August 2026
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What order should I update my records in?
Start with your driving licence (free, quick) or passport — one of these becomes your name-in-use evidence for everything else. Then your bank, HMRC (via your Personal Tax Account), employer, and NHS/GP. Then insurers, utilities, subscriptions, universities and professional bodies.
Detailed guides: name change UK, change of name deed, passport, driving licence, Universal Credit and benefits. If you claim UC, match the bank account name before the next payment date.
What is a “name-in-use” document?
HMPO asks for one document dated within the last 12 months showing your new name actually being used — a bank statement, payslip or updated driving licence. It proves the name change is genuine and in use, alongside your deed poll. This is why updating the DVLA first (it is free) makes the passport application easier.
Do I send the original deed poll or a copy?
It depends: HMPO and banks generally want the original wet-ink document (post it with tracking, or visit a branch), while the NHS, employers, schools, universities and utilities usually accept a photocopy. Print and sign three to four copies of your deed poll so you always hold an original.
Does a name change update my will?
No. A deed poll does not rewrite a will. Executors and banks work faster when the will, the deed poll and your photo ID show the same name. Print a fresh will in the new name and re-sign it with two witnesses in one room under section 9 of the Wills Act 1837.
A deed poll does not update a will. Executors and banks work faster when the will, the deed poll and your photo ID all show the same name — print a fresh will in the new name and re-sign it with two witnesses in one room (Wills Act 1837, section 9). SwiftWill drafts an England and Wales will online for £35 with free updates for life. SwiftWill is a related online-will service from the same company (Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd). Skip it if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, or need tax planning, trusts or foreign property.
The complete notification checklist, in priority order
| Priority | Organisation | Cost | What they need |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DVLA (driving licence) | Free | D1 form + original deed poll + current licence |
| 2 | HM Passport Office | £102 online / £115.50 paper (adult standard, checked 13 Aug 2026) | Deed poll plus one name-in-use document dated within 12 months |
| 3 | Banks and building societies | Free | Original deed poll + photo ID, in branch |
| 4 | HMRC | Free | Via your online Personal Tax Account or by post |
| 5 | Employer and payroll | Free | Usually a photocopy of the deed poll |
| 6 | NHS and GP | Free | Usually a photocopy |
| 7 | Insurers (car, home, life, pet, travel) | Free | Varies; usually a photocopy |
| 8 | Pension providers | Free | Varies |
| 9 | Utilities, broadband and mobile | Free | Usually a photocopy |
| 10 | TV Licensing, council tax, electoral register | Free | Varies |
| 11 | Universities and professional bodies | Free | Varies |
| 12 | Subscriptions, loyalty schemes, everything else | Free | Usually just a request |
| 13 | Your will (executors and gifts) | Re-sign; online from £35 | A deed poll does not update a will — print and re-sign in the new name |
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