Updating investments and shareholdings after a name change

ISAs and tax-free wrappers

An Individual Savings Account (ISA) is held by an ISA manager on your behalf. After a name change:

1. Notify your ISA manager in writing with a copy of your deed poll certificate (or certified copy).
2. The ISA manager updates the account record to your new name.
3. ISA tax-free status continues unchanged — HMRC does not require any separate ISA subscription form on a name change.
4. Annual ISA subscription limits are unaffected.

If you're transferring your ISA to a new provider after a name change, do the name update first with the existing provider; then the transfer is recorded under your new name without re-verification friction.

Share certificates and registrars

For paper share certificates holdings (typical for older UK listed-company shares or for some private company shares):

1. Identify your registrar — Computershare, Equiniti, Link Group, or in-house for private companies.
2. Complete a Stock Transfer Form with your new name in the transferee field and your previous name in the transferor field; attach your deed poll certificate to evidence the chain.
3. Return the old certificate to the registrar; they update the share register and issue a new certificate in your new name.
4. No stamp duty is chargeable on a name-change transfer — entry "EXEMPT under section 47(1) SDCA 2024" applies.

For nominee-held shares (a SapFIN nominee like Equiniti or Computershare Nominee Services) the nominee operator updates the underlying register for you; you only need to give the nominee the certificate.

Investment platforms and SIPPs

Most UK investment platforms (Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell Youinvest, Interactive Investor, Vanguard Investor UK, Fidelity, Nutmeg etc.) nominee-hold your assets. They update the account name on receipt of your deed poll certificate (typically via a contact form + uploaded PDF). The underlying assets are unaffected; no new investment transaction is needed.

For Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), the pension scheme administrator updates the member's name on receipt of your deed poll certificate. The pension's value and tax treatment are unaffected. Matching the HMRC personal tax account update first helps to avoid identity-verification friction.

Private company shares and the PSC register

If you are a Person with Significant Control (PSC) in a UK company — typically holding more than 25% of voting rights, or with the right to appoint the majority of the board — the company is required to keep a PSC register. After your name change, your PSC entry must be updated.

Practically, you don't file anything yourself:

• Notify the company's secretary or director that you are changing name and provide a copy of the deed poll.
• The company updates its PSC register and files a confirmation statement (CS01) with Companies House reflecting the updated PSC entry.
• For directorships: a separate AP01 (change of director's name) is filed.

See our Companies House name change guide for the full process for company officers.