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NatWest has agreed to change a transgender woman’s title from Mr to Ms after two of its branches in the West Midlands initially refused.

She had requested the alteration at Birmingham New Street and Dudley branches but was told she needed a gender recognition certificate.

The woman was given the option of using an alias but declined because it would make all bank staff aware that she had transitioned.

She spent hours on the phone, attended both branches in person and offered to put NatWest in touch with trans organisations, which was not taken up. The bank finally agreed to make the change after the customer’s story ran in the press this week.

The woman, who has not been named, was phoned by NatWest’s Equality and Diversity team who apologised and also promised to compensate her for the time spent trying to persuade staff.

The bank said in a statement: “This was a case of human error and we have contacted the customer to apologise.

“We have made it easier for customers to change their gender on their banking records, and have given them the option to use the title, Mx.

“By embracing difference, and placing inclusion at the very heart of how we do business, we want to be a better bank for our customers.”

The woman told PinkNews: “This has made me feel frustrated and it feels as if my gender transition has been put on hold by a large corporate body which should not be able to impose such a restriction on my life.”

However the woman, who has not been named, also said she was pleased with the outcome and hoped it would help other trans people in the future.

By law you remain your birth gender unless you apply for a gender recognition certificate to change it legally.

The title Mx is used as a gender-neutral title and has been introduced by RBS, part of the same group of banks as NatWest.

It has also been added to official forms and databases over the past two years.