Who TransActual is#
TransActual was founded by a group of British trans people in 2017 and widened its work in 2020. It describes itself as a national, trans-led advocacy and education organisation for trans adults, with a focus on healthcare and legal protections, and it publishes research such as its Trans Lives surveys. It is a community interest company (company number 12772196, incorporated on 27 July 2020), not a registered charity, which is why its entry here shows a company number rather than a charity number.
Getting in touch#
TransActual does not run a helpline. Its contact page gives an email address for general questions and says the team is small, so a reply may take some time. It asks people writing about something distressing to give a short overview rather than graphic detail, and it does not open unsolicited photos or videos. Its pages are the main way it helps, and they are written so you can use them on your own.
What TransActual publishes about names#
Three pages work together.
Name Changes sets out the position in England and Wales: you do not, in principle, need any document to change your name, because a name changes by use, but in practice organisations increasingly ask for one. For Scotland it points to Scottish Trans and to a free community guide to the statutory declaration.
Name change processes (last updated 20 October 2025) explains the documents organisations accept: a deed poll, a statutory declaration, or an enrolled deed poll. It notes that the first two can be made by the person and need not be registered, while enrolment creates a permanent public record, with the old name, new name and home address published in The Gazette. It argues that demands for enrolment fall hardest on trans people and on survivors of abuse, and that refusing to update a record can conflict with equality and data protection law. It also links a research paper by a law firm on names for children and young people.
Updating Your Details With Organisations is a long checklist, from passports and driving licences to vets, pharmacies and DNS providers, with organisation-specific notes. It says plainly that you do not need to enrol your deed poll, and that a title such as Mx can be changed by asking.
What has moved since these pages were written?#
A few details have moved since these pages were written. GOV.UK lists the enrolment fee as £53.05. GOV.UK also says that if you have a strong reason for your details not to be published, you can explain it in the application, and the judge may agree to publish only your first name or surname. For married applicants, GOV.UK may ask for a spouse's written consent.
On banks, TransActual reports community feedback that Lloyds and Halifax had begun asking for enrolled deed polls. Their own pages, as this handbook read them on 22 October 2026, accept an unenrolled deed poll alongside a passport or driving licence in the new name. Changing your name with your bank compares 24 banks and building societies.
Where to read more here#
TransActual's case is that the cheapest document is usually enough, and GOV.UK agrees that anyone aged 16 or over can make an unenrolled deed poll from its free wording. If an organisation still refuses one, What to do if an organisation refuses your deed poll sets out the steps, and Unenrolled and enrolled deed polls explains the choice. Deed poll or Gender Recognition Certificate? covers the difference between changing a name and changing legal gender.
This page describes what TransActual publishes on its own website, read on 26 October 2026. TransActual has not reviewed it, and listing an organisation here does not mean it recommends this handbook or any deed poll service.
