Example letter 1 - Sole parental responsibility.

Information and advice about changing your name by Deed Poll

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Letter 1
Sole parental responsibility

This letter has two paragraphs. The first is always required. For the second paragraph, because parental responsibility laws vary throughout the United Kingdom, you need to choose one of the six optional paragraphs according to where and when your child's birth was registered (the date your child's birth was registered at a register office, not the date of birth). This letter should be from the mother. If you are the father and you believe you have sole parental responsibility (and the mother is not deceased), please call our Helpline or email us with your circumstances.

If your child's birth was registered outside the UK and you now live in the UK, your second paragraph needs to be the option for where you now live in the UK. If you are British and live outside the UK, use the paragraph according to where your child's birth was registered in the UK.

If you are changing more than one child's name, please provide a separate letter for each child.

Our fax number and postal address can be found at the bottom of this page.

If you have Microsoft Word for Windows versions 2002, 2003 or 2007 on your computer, you can download an interactive Word template that will make it easy to produce the appropriate letter of consent. Look out for this download icon in the template Look out for this icon to download an interactive Word document for your letter of consent. If you do not have Word, please copy and paste the template text into your word processor.

Letter 1 template

[Your home address]

[Your daytime telephone number]

[Date]

To whom it may concern.

Dear Sirs,

I, the undersigned, having sole parental responsibility for [insert child's current full name here] consent to [his/her] name being changed to [insert new full name here].

Choose ONE of the following six paragraphs:

1. If your child's birth was registered in England or Wales from 1st December 2003, use this paragraph:
I confirm I was not married to my child's father at birth, or subsequently, and no other person has acquired parental responsibility by agreement or by court order. I also confirm the father is not recorded on my child's birth certificate.
Click on the icon to download an interactive Word document for this letter.
Click on the Open button if you see a File Download window.

2. If your child's birth was registered in England or Wales before 1st December 2003, use this paragraph:
I confirm I was not married to my child's father at birth, or subsequently, and no other person has acquired parental responsibility by agreement or by court order.
Click on the icon to download an interactive Word document for this letter.
Click on the Open button if you see a File Download window.

3. If your child's birth was registered in Scotland from 4th May 2006, use this paragraph:
I confirm I was not married to my child's father at the time of conception, or subsequently, and no other person has acquired parental responsibility by agreement or by court order. I also confirm the father is not recorded on my child's birth certificate.
Click on the icon to download an interactive Word document for this letter.
Click on the Open button if you see a File Download window.

4. If your child's birth was registered in Scotland before 4th May 2006, use this paragraph:
I confirm I was not married to my child's father at the time of conception, or subsequently, and no other person has acquired parental responsibility by agreement or by court order.
Click on the icon to download an interactive Word document for this letter.
Click on the Open button if you see a File Download window.

5. If your child's birth was registered in Northern Ireland from 15th April 2002, use this paragraph:
I confirm I was not married to my child's father at birth and no other person has acquired parental responsibility by agreement or by court order. I also confirm the father is not recorded on my child's birth certificate.
Click on the icon to download an interactive Word document for this letter.
Click on the Open button if you see a File Download window.

6. If your child's birth was registered in Northern Ireland before 15th April 2002, use this paragraph:
I confirm I was not married to my child's father at birth and no other person has acquired parental responsibility by agreement or by court order.
Click on the icon to download an interactive Word document for this letter.
Click on the Open button if you see a File Download window.

Yours faithfully,

[Mother's signature]

[Mother's full name]
Mother

Fully completed example of Letter 1
(for a child whose birth was registered in
England or Wales from 1st December 2003)

Where to fax or post your letter of consent
You can fax your letter of consent to 0333 444 8486 (+44 333 444 8486 from overseas) or post it to either of the addresses below. If you are paying by cheque or postal order, or claiming a fee reduction for receiving a qualifying benefit, we suggest you do not fax your letter but enclose it with your payment and/or benefit evidence.

If you have problems faxing to the above number, please try our alternate fax number of 0870 350 1600 (+44 870 350 1600 from overseas).

Freepost address
(if posting in the UK)
Using our Freepost address costs nothing but it takes about 3 working days to reach us. If you want your letter to arrive sooner, or if you are overseas, use the address below

Full postal address
Use this address if you want your letter to arrive sooner or if you are posting from overseas. Don't forget to affix the correct postage

Write FREEPOST DEED POLLS on the envelope:
Write FREEPOST DEED POLLS on the envelope.

UK Deed Poll Service, Freebournes Court, Witham, CM8 2BL. Don't forget to affix the correct postage.

Last updated: 13 May 2008

Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of the information provided on this website, UK Deed Poll Service will not be held liable or responsible for any loss, damage or other inconvenience caused as a result of any inaccuracy or error within the pages of this website.