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last reviewed: 18th August 2026 by Mark Keenan
Quick answers
–A deed poll changes your legal name, not your legal gender. To change your legal gender in the UK, you need a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
–Non-binary is not currently a legally recognised gender in the UK. You can adopt a non-binary title such as Mx as a personal choice, but there is no legal “non-binary” gender marker on UK passports, birth certificates, or GRCs.
A deed poll costs £15.99 through our adult service and is the standard first step most transgender and non-binary people take to update their name on official documents.
The law changed in 2025.The Supreme Court ruled that “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex, and that holding a GRC does not change a person’s legal sex for equality law purposes. See the-law-has-changed-what-the-2025-supreme-court-ruling-means below.
If you’re transgender or non-binary and want to change your name
If you’re transgender or non-binary and want to change your name, the most common and widely recognised way to do it is a deed poll. Some people already have a Gender Recognition Certificate or a new birth certificate showing their new name, but most transgender and non-binary people need to change their name by deed poll first, before anything else can follow.
Our adult deed poll service lets you legally update your name — and, separately, your title — on official documents including your passport, driving licence, bank accounts, and medical records, for £15.99.
What it can do.
– Legally change your first name, middle name(s), or surname
– Let you update your name on your passport, driving licence, bank accounts, NHS records, employer records, and more
– Support a change of title (for example, from Miss to Mr, or to a non-gendered title like Mx)
What it can’t do.
– Change your legal gender. That’s a separate, specific legal process (see below)
– Create a legal “non-binary” gender status — this doesn’t currently exist in UK law, regardless of title or documents used.
Changing your title, including to Mx
Alongside your new name, you can choose to update your title. Many transgender people change from a gendered title (Miss, Mr, Mrs) to another gendered title that matches their identity; many non-binary people choose Mx, a title that doesn’t specify gender.
It’s worth being clear about what this does and doesn’t mean: choosing Mx is a personal and social choice, and most organisations will record and use it. But it isn’t a legal gender marker — UK passports, for instance, still only show male (M) or female (F) as sex markers, and the UK has no legal “X” or non-binary category on official identity documents.
If you don’t have a Gender Recognition Certificate
Most people don’t have a GRC, and you don’t need one to change your name. A deed poll is the way to officially change your name, and you can then use it to update your other documents, including your passport.
If you also want to change the gender marker on your passport (separate from your name), HM Passport Office currently asks for:
– Your deed poll, showing your new name
– A dated letter, with a handwritten signature, from a GP or other registered clinician (for example a gender dysphoria specialist, clinical psychologist, or consultant psychiatrist) confirming they know you well enough to make this assessment, and that your change of gender is likely to be permanent
– Supporting identity evidence, such as bank statements, utility bills, or payslips
A deed poll on its own supports your name change but doesn’t change your legal gender — only a Gender Recognition Certificate does that.
If You Have a Gender Recognition Certificate
If you already hold a GRC, it’s evidence that the Gender Recognition Panel has recognised your acquired gender. To get one, you generally need to show you’ve been living in your acquired gender — which is one of the reasons most people change their name by deed poll before applying.
A few practical details, current as of 2026:
– The application fee is £6, paid to the Gender Recognition Panel
– Typical processing time is around 22 weeks
– You can only apply to be recognised as male or female — non-binary genders aren’t currently recognised in UK law, so a GRC can’t record a non-binary gender
The law has changed: what the 2025 Supreme Court ruling means
On 16 April 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers that “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex, and that holding a Gender Recognition Certificate does not change a person’s legal sex for the purposes of that Act. The Equality and Human Rights Commission subsequently updated its statutory code of practice to reflect the ruling, which took effect on 5 August 2026.
In practice, this affects how organisations interpret single-sex spaces and services under equality law — it doesn’t change how deed polls work, and it doesn’t stop you legally changing your name or updating your documents. But because it’s a significant, recent change to how gender is treated in UK law, we think you should know about it before making decisions that depend on your legal gender status specifically (as opposed to your name). If this affects a specific situation you’re facing, it’s worth getting advice from a specialist organisation or solicitor — see further reading and sources below.
Legal accuracy check (as of August 2026)
Verified against gov.uk, HM Passport Office guidance and the EHRC:
– Non-binary is not a legally recognised gender in the UK — gov.uk is explicit on this for GRC applications. The current article doesn’t say this outright, which is worth adding.
– Changing gender on a passport without a GRC currently requires: a dated, signed letter from a GP or other registered clinician confirming they know you well enough to make the assessment, your name/gender, that you use this identity “for all purposes,” and that the change is “likely to be permanent” — plus supporting ID (bank statements, utility bills, payslips). The existing article’s description is broadly correct but slightly imprecise; the draft below tightens it.
– The GRC application fee is currently £6 via the Gender Recognition Panel, with a target turnaround around 22 weeks — worth adding as a concrete, useful detail.
– The 16 April 2025 Supreme Court ruling (For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers) held “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 means biological sex; a GRC does not change legal sex for equality law purposes. The EHRC’s updated statutory code of practice reflecting this became effective 5 August 2026. This is squarely relevant to anyone reading this page and should be included, sourced and dated.
FAQs
Does a deed poll change my legal gender?
No. A deed poll changes your legal name. Only a Gender Recognition Certificate changes your legal gender, and it only recognises male or female — not non-binary.
Can I get a non-binary gender marker on my UK passport?
No. UK passports currently only show male (M) or female (F). There’s no legal non-binary gender category in the UK.
Do I need a Gender Recognition Certificate to change my name?
No. Most transgender and non-binary people change their name by deed poll without ever applying for a GRC. A GRC is a separate, optional process for changing your legal gender.
Can I choose the title Mx with a deed poll?
Yes. You can adopt Mx or another title alongside your new name. It’s recorded by most organisations, though it isn’t a legal gender marker.
Does the 2025 Supreme Court ruling affect my deed poll or name change?
No. The ruling concerns how “sex” is defined under the Equality Act 2010, particularly for single-sex spaces and services. It doesn’t change the deed poll process or your ability to update your name on official documents.
Sources checked:
– Gender recognition certificate overview – GOV.UK
– Gender recognition (accessible) – GOV.UK
– UK Supreme Court ruling on the meaning of sex in the Equality Act – EHRC
– Additional documents guidance – HM Passport Office
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