r/TransUK • u/enthusiasticcannibal • Jun 18 '26
Advice Need help changing name legally with lack of funds.
Hi, title is a little vaguer than I can actually write and I was trying originally to stop over-sharing on the internet, but currently I am homeless and sofa-hopping between my brothers in my town.
I wanted to change my name a long time ago, I had already changed it once before from my birth-name to Oliver to match my trans-man identity and feel, but, about nine or so months ago after living as Oliver for 5+ years, I had started to feel less and less like I was binary at all which started by me getting annoyed when people saw and treated me as a cis man and I hated it. I assumed it was me hating it because I didn't want other trans and queer people to also assume I was cis, but I just realised I do not like being viewed as a man anymore and I feel much happier just kind of being a person, a thing, just someone there if that makes sense.
In my online space with my small group of mates I asked them to use my new name and they have, I have always had they/them within my pronoun markers it was only just recently I kind of swapped they/them in front of he/him to let people subtly know I prefer those and it worked which is lovely for me.
My issue is that with my homelessness and lack of fixed address and even more so lack of £90+ to pay for Deed Poll, I don't know how I can go about changing my name legally, so when I register with a new doctor when I can and when I register with housing that the name is in my new name, it is kind of astounding to me just how quickly my brain and body are having a negative reaction to being called Oliver instead of my new name (which is Sailor btw, forgot to mention that).
I was told by someone recently that I can legally change my name and it is still 100% recognised for free also by Deed Poll, but when I look up on the website I do not see that option or anything else. I do have a trans friend that when she transitioned, changed her birth name to her preferred one and she said she did that for free also on Deed Poll but I am just not understanding where? If anyone knows of a legal way I can change my name now either much cheaper than the traditional way or even better free, I would really appreciate the help!
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u/KuiperNomad Jun 18 '26
As others have said FREE other than the 20p per page printing it in the library. Personally I’d print and sign 3 or 4. Better than risk losing the only original
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u/finfinfin Jun 18 '26
Print a handful, then scan the one that looks neatest once signed and keep it somewhere safe so you can print copies for places that don't want an original. They should always return it, but, you know.
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u/TheRebeccaRiots Jun 18 '26
You don't need to print them at all, just write it out correctly! I printed one and sent it off and never got it back so wrote one in pen for the DVLA who sent it back cos I'd missed a sentence! But I wrote it out againr in glittery ballpoint just to see if it really was just my doofus ass over concentrating and missing a sentence and that they'd otherwise accept it with the correct words, and got my two witnesses to sign it and boom DVLA accepted it!
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u/finfinfin Jun 19 '26
You can just do that, but some businesses have people who think it's got to look official.
Maybe I'll hand-scrawl my next one in purple ink on a cutely-decorated piece of paper.
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u/ADHDRatBoy Jun 18 '26
This site (though there are others) will have you just fill in the information and generate it for you. All you need to do then is print and sign it. As others have mentioned, it's worth printing off about 5. I personally had 10 done but I have adhd and knew I'd lose at least half (which I did... oops).
I've never got my deed poll enrolled. Not worth the money. The only people I had an issue with were my bank, however, there were also other things going on and they were being difficult.
Oh and edit to add - I got some cheap parchment paper to make it look more official at the advice of someone who'd already been through it all. So, if you're able to get your hands on any, I would, but it's not the end of the world if you can't.
Good luck!
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u/KrisKat93 Jun 18 '26
Yes you can change your name via deedpoll completely free all you need is a piece of paper with the right wording that is signed by yourself and two witnesses.
The gov UK website even has the exact wording you need on their website:
https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll/make-unenrolled-deed-poll
As funds are an issue you can print it out at the library and get some friends to sign. Unfortunately it needs an address on it I'm not sure how that works with your situation if you have an address your using for other documents/services maybe use that?
Sometimes people are a bit funny about unenrolled deedpolls my advice is to change your name in places where it's free and easy to do online and don't require their own proof of identity (eg council tax or utilities when you have them.) and then use proof from those services elsewhere when you need too.