Name change problems

Hi, I got my Decree Absolute earlier this year & a few months later discovered that my ex had married the woman he left me for. So, at the beginning of October I started the process of legally reverting to my Maiden Name.

Following the excellent advice I found here on Wiki about how to do this correctly, I''m half way through the process. I''d always assumed that you needed a solicitor to produce a legal Deed Poll document but Wiki assured me it this wasn''t necessary. Using the links provided by Wiki I produced my own free deed poll & have used it, a cover letter explaining my intentions & my decree Absolute, to inform my bank, utilities supplier, etc. with absolutely no problems.

However when I sent copies of these two documents & cover letter, to the insurance company who I took out a funeral plan with many years ago, I received reply stating they will NOT accept my deed poll unless it has been verified & stamped by a solicitor.
The other options I was given were to supply my original drivers licence & birth certificate or a passport in my present name & former name. I do not drive therefore don''t have a licence nor do I have a current passport or any intentions of applying for one in the near future.

I would like some advice on how to proceed with this.

Which links are you referring to?

Did you send the completed deed poll to the RJC and send in the notification form for the Gazette? www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll/make-an-adult-deed-poll

No, I just used this link to get a free deed poll.
www.freedeedpoll.org.uk/

Hmmm - It''s not an official site. Have a look at the link I gave in my previous post; it contains all the official information and forms etc.

My sons have just changed their names by Deed Poll to my maiden name (I will be changing mine in my Divorce which is progressing). You can do a free Deed Poll name change and many services will accept it, however to have it official and registered you need to do a Statutory Declaration in front of Solicitor. A witness who has known you for 10 years or more (and needs to be a home owner) has to swear in front of the Solicitor that you are who you say you are. This then needs to be sent off to the Royal Court of Justice and will be published in the Government''s publication (I think it is called the London Gazette) and you will get a certified stamped copy back which is your legal proof of change of name. The Statutory Declaration can cost £100 (unless you know a friendly Solicitor as we are lucky enough) and the fee for the Royal Courts of Justice is £36.00 There is loads of info online, my two 20 year sons sorted it all out themselves. Good Luck . . .

That''s really helpful information, thank you

The link I followed (which you say is not an official site) is on Wiki, so I took it to be a good link. I can''t afford solicitor''s fees but thanks for the advice anyway. I don''t understand why the deed poll, I printed, completed & got signed by two witnesses, was accepted by my bank but not my insurance company. I''ll have to sort it out with my insurance another way.