If I change my child’s name, who do I have to notify?

If you change your child’s name by Deed Poll, you should notify all relevant people of their change of name, otherwise the name change may not be effective.  When we send you your child’s Deed Poll, we will also send you a list of organisations, which you should consider notifying and this list will set out those organisations which may be directly or indirectly affected by your child’s change of name.  You should notify those organisations that have a record of your child’s name, whether that is directly because of your child’s relationship with them, or because you have a relationship with them yourself, and as a result they also record your child’s name.  The list of record-holders that may be affected by your child’s change of name is as follows:

• HM Passport Office (if your child needs a new passport).
• Banks (if your child has a bank account).
• Building Societies (if your child has a building society account).
• Your employer/s, current and former, if you still have a pension with them (especially if your child is named).
• HM Revenue & Customs (for tax and National Insurance details, and for tax credits).
• Insurance companies (such as house building, contents, car insurance, health insurance, life insurance, critical illness insurance, especially if your child is named).
• Finance companies.
• Private pension providers (especially if your child is named).
• Mobile phone network providers (if your child has a mobile phone).
• Your local authority, in respect of council tax and the electoral register.
• Your solicitor or will writer (especially if your child is named in your will).
• Your child’s doctor (to update your child’s NHS records).
• Your child’s dentist.
• Your child’s school or other education provider.
• Any professional bodies or associations that your family is a member of.
• Any clubs or societies that your child belongs to (for instance scouts or girl guides).
• Your Offender Manager/Probation Officer, if you have a criminal record and are on probation.
• Your social worker, if you are serving a Community Payback Order.
• The police, if you are on the Violent and Sex Offender Register.

To review the most current version of this information, please visit Child Deed Poll Information. Click here to return to the Information Repository main page.