Divorce and name change?

LazyLizzie

I got a divorce recently and I'm really confused, I'm not sure if anyone here can help. I don't know anyone who can help me offline, which is why I've asked here, I hope that's okay!

When you get a divorce, does your name automatically change back to the one you had before? If it doesn't, how do I get it changed back? I asked someone and they said I had to pay to change it by deed poll, which doesn't seem right? I hope I don't have to pay to change it!

I'm guessing I can't change the name on my bank until I know my name has been changed back?
Someone said I can show my bank my divorce certificate and then they'll change the name for me, but I haven't got one of them. I got a letter of decree or whatever it's called and that just says my married name on it, not my maiden name, so I'm guessing that wont prove anything? I guess it doesn't help that I don't have a copy of the marriage certificate either.

I've googled things about this, but get confused really easily, so need someone explaining things to me in simple terms so I can understand it. I wish I knew people offline to help me with this, sorry I have to ask it here.

Edit:
I just found this:
https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll
Which explains it in nice simple terms for me!
So I guess that pretty much answers most of my post. Now I feel like a wally!
I don't have my marriage certificate though, only a scan of it, is that enough?
If it isn't, is it possible to get a copy of the marriage certificate even though I'm no longer married, and if it is, how do I get it? And do I have to pay for that?

Once again, sorry for having to ask this here, I hope I don't annoy anyone!

Ms_Chocaholic

Have you got a Decree Nisi or Decree Absolute; it's the Absolute that is the final divorce document. I'm sure you can take the Absolute to the bank with a copy of your birth certificate and they will change it back. Do you have other documents with your married name on, ie passport/driving licence you could take along to the bank with you?

By the way, the Decree Nisi/Absolute will have at the top something like issued in the __________ Court and be stamped by the Court, usually red with the date.

Mojisola

If you change your name on marriage, you don't give up your birth name - that's still your name.

After a divorce, you can carry on using your ex's name or revert to using your birth name. As long as you have the paper trail, there shouldn't be any more problem reverting than when you changed the name after marriage.

InsideInsurance

You can use whatever name in the world you want to call yourself with exceptionally few exceptions as long as you dont try to defraud anyone by doing this.

It is only procedural that you are required to have paperwork to substantiate your name change and for a divorcee going back to their maiden name then a combination of your Decree Absolute and your birth certificate is more than sufficient for banks and once you've gotten them on side everything else is easy.

LazyLizzie

Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »

Have you got a Decree Nisi or Decree Absolute; it's the Absolute that is the final divorce document. I'm sure you can take the Absolute to the bank with a copy of your birth certificate and they will change it back. Do you have other documents with your married name on, ie passport/driving licence you could take along to the bank with you?

By the way, the Decree Nisi/Absolute will have at the top something like issued in the __________ Court and be stamped by the Court, usually red with the date.

The letter has got a stamp on it with the court but not a date, and the first line it has on the letter is "Referring to the decree made in this cause on the (date), whereby it was decreed that the marriage solemnised on the (date)."
The letter has confused me too because the whole thing in worded really weirdly! I mean, it's probably worded normally to a clever person!
It has our names and then says "be dissolved unless sufficient cause be shown to the court within six weeks from the making of thereof why the said decree should not be made absolute, and no such cause having been shown, it is hereby certified that the said decree was on the (date), made final and absolute and that the said marriage was thereby dissolved."
That probably makes perfect sense to everyone else!

My passport never got changed so it's still in my name I had before I got married.

I hope I can just show the letter I got today and my birth certificate, thank you!

Alter_ego

Lots of nonsense is spoken/posted regarding name changes. In UK anyone can change their name without any formality/payment etc. Just do it and inform those who need to know.
Don't forget Driving licence/passport etc.

LazyLizzie

Mojisola wrote: »

If you change your name on marriage, you don't give up your birth name - that's still your name.

After a divorce, you can carry on using your ex's name or revert to using your birth name. As long as you have the paper trail, there shouldn't be any more problem reverting than when you changed the name after marriage.

I thought if I used the wrong name, it was fraud or something! I mean, when I got married, I thought I had to change my bank name to the married name, because it would be fraud if I didn't.

I'm glad I asked this here now, learnt lots of stuff I didn't know! I obviously don't know anything and am a total idiot.

Thank you everyone for teaching me things I probably should have known already!

RAS

Lizzie

This is the decree absolute.

With respect to names, legally you can call yourself Mary Magdalen if you want but for many purposes you have to provide proof of identity. This includes a lot of legal and financial transactions (buying a property, inheriting, getting a loan or mortgage) and some employment (anything requiring a DBS check).

So it pays to have evidence to support your name changes.

You can get a copy of your marriage certificate from the local Registry Office or the registry on-line.

InsideInsurance

LazyLizzie wrote: »

I thought if I used the wrong name, it was fraud or something!

No, you could call yourself God Empress LazyLizzie if you wanted, as long as the reason you do it isnt for fraud. So if a form asked if you'd be known by other names you'd need to list all the names you've used during that time etc

The challenge comes around banks etc who want proof that you are known by this name and thats where marriage certificates, divorces, deed poll etc come into play.

Seanymph

you go back to where you got married for a copy certificate if you need it.

I found it strange I had to send mine to the court and never got it back - then needed it to prove various things afterwwards.

the church got to charge me again for another one.

Mojisola

Seanymph wrote: »

you go back to where you got married for a copy certificate if you need it.

I found it strange I had to send mine to the court and never got it back - then needed it to prove various things afterwwards.

the church got to charge me again for another one.

You can order one from https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Don't pay more than £9.25 - some sites will charge a lot more and then order one from the GRO.