Jun
23
2016

Is a deed poll proof of identity?

Posted by legaldeedpolls

‌‌‌‌deed‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌poll‌‌‌‌‌ or change of name deed ‌‌is‌‌‌‌ simply ‌‌‌‌proof‌‌ ‌‌‌‌that‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌you‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌have‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌changed‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌‌your‌‌‌ ‌‌‌name, ‌‌‌but‌‌‌ ‌‌it‌‌ ‌‌is‌ not a proof of your identity. However, if you have changed your name, it is used as evidence of your identity in conjunction with other official documents, such as your birth certificate, driving licence or your passport.

A deed poll is a legal document, not an official certificate. In fact there is no official certificate in relation to changing your name.

You will always need to provide proof of identity by using your birth certificate, photo-card driving licence or valid passport as well as any deed polls you have had created for previous name changes when applying for documents which are proof of your identity.

Uk identity cards were brought in by the labour Government and were initially given to foreign nationals living in the UK with the rest of the population to be required to have them in by 2012.

UK identity cards were scrapped in 2011 after much opposition from conservative and Liberal democrat MP’s and many rebel labour MP’s who believed that the introduction of compulsory identity cards was a fundamental shift in the reach of the state into the lives of Uk citizens who had never been required to carry identity documents, save for the two world wars.

The only identity document which is 100% accepted by all government departments, police, local authorities, is a valid passport, although some will accept a UK driving licence with photo-card.