Guidance on the legal rules and procedures for changing your name in the UK, including deed polls, age requirements, and consent.
Can you remove your surname and go by one name in the UK? Legally, yes - by deed poll. But passports, banks and computer systems that insist on a forename and surname will fight you. Here’s the honest reality and how to handle the friction.
Can you change your name in the UK? Yes-it is a long-standing common-law right that needs no government permission and no ‘good reason’. Here are the plain legal facts, and why a deed poll is simply the accepted evidence of the change.
Can you email a PDF deed poll to the Passport Office? We explain why digital files themselves aren't legal documents, and how to easily turn your digital download into a legally binding deed accepted everywhere.
Confused about "certified copies" vs "originals"? Learn why you shouldn't send photocopies to the Passport Office, and how our digital service lets you create as many originals as you need for free.
No - you do not need an enrolled deed poll for a UK passport. HM Passport Office accepts a properly executed unenrolled deed poll. This 2026 guide explains exactly what HMPO requires, why enrolling is usually the wrong move, and how to avoid a rejected application.
Enrolled vs unenrolled deed poll - which do you actually need? For around 98% of people it's the unenrolled version. This 2026 guide compares both, explains the £53.05 enrolment fee and the London Gazette privacy trade-off, and shows the few cases where enrolling is worth it.
