7 Legal Things to Immediately Do After Marriage in the UK

Getting married is a momentous occasion, and while it makes sense to start planning your honeymoon and throw parties, it’s crucial to think straight and get the legal aspects of your new life in order too. Here are seven things you need to do as soon as you get married. 

Sort Out Your New Name

One of the first things you need to do is to decide whether you want to take your spouse’s surname or not. If you decide to change your name, you must notify several organisations, including your bank, the DVLA and your employer. If you want to double-barrel your surname or hyphenate it, you will need to fill in a deed poll. 

Keep these tips in mind when adopting a double-barrel surname:

• You will need to use the new surname for everything – from your passport to your utility bills.
• If you have children, their surnames will need to be changed too.
• Double-barrelling or hyphenating your surname is important if you want to keep your maiden name as part of your new surname.

Draw Up a Will

A will is a lawful record that specifies how you would like your assets to be dispersed after you die. Everyone over 18 should have a will, which is especially important if you have young children. 

Follow these tips to draft a legally-compliant will after marriage:

• Your will should be in writing, either typed or handwritten.
• You must sign and date your will in front of two witnesses who are over the age of 18.
• Your witnesses need to sign and date the will in your presence.

Change Your Beneficiaries

Suppose you have a life insurance policy, a pension or investments. In that case, you will need to update the beneficiaries to include your new spouse. This is important because if you die without updating your beneficiaries, your assets may not go to the people you want them to.

Transfer Your Property into Joint Names

You will need to transfer property into joint names with your new spouse if you own property. This can be done by changing the deeds of the property. You should also consider changing your mortgage to a joint mortgage. Doing this will mean that both of you are liable for the mortgage repayments, which could help improve your credit rating.

Review Your Employment Contracts

You will need to notify your employer of your new name after marriage and address after marriage. You should also check your employment contract to see if any clauses, such as your job title or working hours, need to be updated.

Register Your Marriage

To make your marriage legally binding, you must register it with your local registering office. You can do this by completing a marriage notice form and sending it to the registered office at least 28 days before your wedding date.

Get a Marriage Certificate

Once you have registered your marriage, you will be issued a marriage certificate. This is an important document as it proves that you are married. You will need to use your marriage certificate if you want to change your name or apply for a joint mortgage. You will also need it to prove your marital status, for example, if you are applying for a visa.

Final Word

Getting married is a big step, but there are many legal things you need to do to make sure that your new life gets off to a good start. We are sure the above tips will help.