TRANSITIONING IN THE UK
the ins and outs of transitioning in the UK! made by a trans guy from wales, documenting everything i figure out along the way to help other young trans people navigate transitioning in the uk.
(still a work in progress)
NAME CHANGE
To legally change your name, all you need is a deed poll. I got mine through https://freedeedpoll.org.uk/ (link below), there's instructions on the website on how to complete it. Save it on your device in a safe place and print at least 8 copies. Get it signed by people you'd be able to get it signed by again if you needed to get more copies in the future.
PLACES TO NOTIFY OF YOUR NAME CHANGE
GP - they will get you a new NHS number under your new name (and change your title - Mr or Miss etc)
HMRC (changes the name attached to your national insurance number)
Passport office
DVLA
Your employer / school / college / university
Dentist
Bank
how to notify these places of your name change
GP: send your deed poll as well as a cover letter addressed to your gp. this needs to be an original document, make sure it's not a photocopied version of your deed poll!
HMRC: send your deed poll as well as a cover letter and your national insurance number to:
Special Section D
Room BP9207
Benton Park View
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1ZZ
this needs to be an original document, make sure it's not a photocopied version of your deed poll!
Passport office: explained in link below!
this needs to be an original document, make sure it's not a photocopied version of your deed poll!
DVLA: explained in link below!
this needs to be an original document, make sure it's not a photocopied version of your deed poll!
if you want to change your details on your exam certificates, check out the link below
employer/school/college/university: it varies from place to place, but your best bet is to send a deed poll and cover letter.
Dentist: same process as GP (don't ask for a new nhs number here though)
Bank: I personally closed my old bank account and opened a new one with a different bank, because my old one needed a GRC to change my name. i really recommend lloyd's bank - they took my old passport as proof of ID as well as my deed poll, no questions asked. you also apply online and go in-branch to prove your ID, so it's really simple and you set it up yourself.
I've also included a link to cover letters that you can use and just change up the relevant things, make sure you use your correct pronouns in the cover letters. if you're under 18, you'll need to use both a cover letter from yourself and a consent letter signed by your parents. if you're over 18, just the cover letter from yourself will be fine, just change up the wording so it's addressed from yourself. it's also important to ask for written confirmation that this change has been made for you.
MEDICALLY TRANSITIONING
waiting times for the UK children's gender clinics are currently extremely long; with people who were referred to the gender clinic in 2017 only getting appointments now. this is the most common route of getting a referral to tavistock (the gender clinic for under 18s)
1. get an appointment with your GP. speak to them about your gender feelings and ask if they can refer you to camhs (child and adolescent mental health services).
2. in your camhs appointment, they will assess your situation and feelings and will either ask you if you want a referral or you will have to ask for a referral to tavistock. make sure to ask how long the waiting list will be.
if you haven't changed your name legally/with the nhs, you can ask the person you see in camhs to call you by your chosen name!
3. wait for a letter confirming your referral - FROM TAVISTOCK - if you don't get this within a few months, make sure you chase it up.
while you are on the waiting list for tavistock, camhs have to 'hold' you to make sure you're okay (you continue to have appointments until you turn 18 - you can decide how regular they are)
the process for over 18 year olds is the same but you can cut out the step of the mental health services (if you feel you don't need it)! go to your gp and talk about your feelings towards gender and ask for a referral to the gender clinic! there are a few gender clinics dotted around the UK, each with varying wait list times. again, it's super important to wait for a letter confirming your referral from the gender clinic you've been referred to and if you don't receive it within a few months, chase it up with your doctor.
your other option is to go with a private gender clinic, who will, on average, see and treat you faster than the nhs gender clinic(s).
i suggest checking out r/transgenderUK for advice on what clinic would suit you best!
i gathered most of this info from Mermaids, which are a great charity who help trans people in the UK. there's a link below where you can find their website (they're the little heart)
the globe icon is a link to a great resource with information in regards to different types of transition, which could help you figure out what's right for you in terms of transitioning!
if this has helped you at all and you wanna donate a few pennies to me, my Paypal is also linked below :)