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Lost Deed Poll for DBS Check
Lost your original Deed Poll or need to provide evidence of previous names for a DBS check? Whether your name changed through Deed Poll, marriage, divorce or another legal event, establishing a clear name history is an important part of identity verification.
This guide explains why previous names are requested during a DBS application, what information is normally required and what to do if historic documents are no longer available.
Need Evidence of Previous Names for Your DBS Application?
Applying for a Basic DBS, Standard DBS or Enhanced DBS check can sometimes raise questions about previous legal names. If you’ve changed your name through marriage, divorce, Deed Poll, civil partnership, adoption or another legal event, you may be asked to provide details of every legal name you used.
For many people this is straightforward because they still have the original documents relating to their name change. However, if your name changed many years ago, it’s common for paperwork to have been misplaced or lost. You may no longer have your original Deed Poll, be unable to locate historic documents or simply not remember exactly when a previous name change took place. These situations are far more common than most people realise and, in most cases, they can be resolved by establishing a clear history of your legal names.
Quick Summary
If you’re applying for a DBS check, you’ll normally be asked whether you’ve used any previous legal names. Common situations include:
- A lost or misplaced Deed Poll.
- Missing documentation relating to a previous name.
- Multiple legal name changes.
- Forgotten dates of historic name changes.
- A request from an employer for evidence of previous names.
The key is establishing a clear chronological history of every legal name you’ve used.
Need help with your DBS application?
If you’ve been asked to provide evidence of previous legal names, have lost your original Deed Poll or need guidance establishing your legal name history, please contact our dedicated support team at support@deedpolldepartment.co.uk. We’ll explain the information normally required and advise you on applying for the appropriate Deed Poll or supporting documentation for your Basic DBS, Standard DBS or Enhanced DBS application.
Typical Scenarios
Every enquiry is different, but many fall into similar categories.
Lost Deed Poll: You changed your name many years ago and no longer have the original Deed Poll.
Historic Name Change: Your name changed decades ago and you cannot remember exactly when it happened.
Multiple Legal Names: You’ve legally used more than one name during your lifetime and need to establish a complete chronological history.
Employer Query: Your employer has asked for evidence linking previous names as part of your DBS application.
Missing Documentation: You know your legal name history but no longer possess the documents confirming earlier changes.
These are all common situations and are usually resolved by clearly explaining your legal name history.
Why Does the DBS Ask About Previous Names?
One of the most common questions applicants ask is:
“Why does the DBS need to know about names I used years ago?”
A DBS application is designed to verify your identity, not simply your current name.
If you’ve legally changed your name at any point during your lifetime, those previous names form part of your legal identity history. Recording previous legal names helps ensure identity checks are carried out accurately and reduces confusion where different names have been used over time.
Previous legal names may include changes made through:
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Deed Poll
- Civil partnership
- Adoption
- Any other legal change of name
For many applicants this is straightforward because they still possess the original documentation. Others may have changed their name twenty, thirty or even forty years ago and no longer have those documents. This is one of the most common reasons additional information is requested during the DBS application process.
Lost Your Original Deed Poll?
One of the most common enquiries relates to lost Deed Poll documents. Many people legally changed their name years or even decades ago. Since then they may have moved house, married, divorced or simply misplaced important paperwork.
Unlike birth certificates, there is no central register from which every historic Deed Poll can be retrieved. If you’ve lost your original Deed Poll, do not assume that your DBS application cannot continue. The important first step is understanding your legal name history and identifying every legal name you’ve used.
Many applicants only realise they no longer have their documentation when an employer or organisation asks them to provide evidence of previous names during the DBS application process.
Multiple Name Changes
Some applicants have changed their name more than once during their lifetime.
This may involve changes through marriage, divorce, Deed Poll or other legal events.
Rather than considering each name separately, it is generally much easier to establish a complete chronological history linking every legal name you’ve used. This creates a clearer record of your legal identity and helps explain how each name relates to the next.
Whether you’ve changed your name once or several times, providing your legal names in chronological order is usually the most effective way of explaining your name history.
What Information Is Normally Required?
To help establish your legal name history, you’ll normally be asked to provide every legal name you’ve used, the order in which each name was used, your current and previous legal names, your date of birth and your current address.
You also need to provide the approximate date of each legal name change. Where an exact date is unknown, you will be able to provide your best estimated date.
Providing a complete and accurate legal name history helps establish a clear identity record and can reduce the likelihood of further queries during yourDBS application.
Not sure what documents you need?
Every situation is different. If you’ve lost your original Deed Poll, changed your name several times or need help establishing your legal name history, please email our dedicated support team at support@deedpolldepartment.co.uk. We’ll explain the most appropriate solution for your circumstances and advise you on applying for the appropriate documentation for your DBS application.
❓ Quick FAQs
Can I apply for a DBS check if I’ve changed my name?
✅ Yes. Changing your name does not prevent you from applying for a DBS check. You’ll normally be asked to declare any previous legal names you’ve used.
I have lost my original Deed Poll. What should I do?
✅ Many people no longer have historic Deed Poll documents. If you have been asked to provide evidence of previous names, please contact Deed Poll Department support team at support@deedpolldepartment.co.uk.
What if I have changed my name more than once?
✅ Multiple legal name changes are not unusual. The important thing is recording every legal name in chronological order so your identity history can be clearly understood. Please contact Deed Poll Department support team at support@deedpolldepartment.co.uk.