Paper instructions - identity and bank certification

Postal option for identity verification

Anti-money laundering

Please send us either:

• one item from Section A, or 
• two documents - one item from section B and one from section C

Section A: Evidence of identity 

Government issued document(s) with a photograph:

• Unexpired passport
• Unexpired full or provisional UK driving licence
• Unexpired UK Firearms Certificate
• Unexpired National Identity Card
• Unexpired Identity card issued by Electoral Office of Northern Ireland

Section B: Evidence of identity

• Valid (old style) full UK driving licence
• Recent evidence of entitlement to local authority-funded benefit; tax credit; pension; educational or other grant
• Any correspondence addressed to the customer at the stated address
• Current council tax demand letter or statement (valid for current tax year – dated within 12 months)
• Instrument of a court appointment (such as liquidator, or grant of probate)

Section C: Evidence of address

• Current bank statement or credit card statement
• Utility bill 
• Local authority rent card or tenancy agreement
• Solicitor letter confirming completion of house purchase or land registration
• Tenancy agreement issued by a housing association, solicitor or local council.
• TV licence renewal letter 
• Mortgage statement (current year – dated within 12 months)
• Confirmation of a government or local authority entitlement to benefit payment, tax credits, pension, educational grant etc.

All documents must be dated within three months (unless we've noted 12 months above) of receipt for validation purposes.  

Bank verification 

There are two ways this can be done, as we want to help you complete this step as quickly as possible. 

Option 1

Please send us an original or certified bank statement which must meet the criteria outlined below. 
 
The statement must contain the following:

• Be dated within three months
• Must show the account number and sort code
• Must show the customer's name and address

Please note that we can't accept:

• Online statements, unless it clearly shows that it was printed by  your branch. For example,. stamped by the branch, clearly says 'printed at branch' and is on headed paper 
• Business accounts 
• ISA accounts

Option 2

Please send us an original or certified bank void cheque. This must also meet the criteria above.

Certification requirements:

Who can certify my documents and how do they do it?

• Accountants
• Armed Forces Officer
• Bank/Building Society Official
• Commissioner of Oaths
• Councillor (local or county)
• FCA Regulated person (Identified using the FCA authorised persons lists)
• FCA Regulated Financial Services Intermediary (e.g. Stockbroker or Insurance Broker)
• FCA Regulated Financial Advisers
• Member of the Judiciary/Justice of the Peace
• Jobcentre Plus Employee
• Member, Associate or Fellow of a Financial Services Professional Body
• Paralegal (certified or qualified Paralegal or Associate Member of the Institute of Paralegals)
• Post Office Official (through the post office’s certification service)
• Ministers of Religion
• Member of Parliament, or Scottish/Welsh/Northern Ireland Assembly Member. 
• Doctors/Nurses or Dentists
• Serving Police Officer
• Solicitor/Lawyer/Advocate
• Social Worker
• Teacher/Lecturer
• Embassy, consulate or high commission officer in the country of issue
• Notary public
• Government department, member of staff or official

The person certifying should:

• Print their name in block capitals
• Write or stamp the name of the company they work for
• State their occupation and role within the company
• Sign their declaration
• Provide contact telephone number
• Date that the certification took place.

For documents with a photo the following certification is expected:

‘I certify this to be a true likeness of 'Individual's name' and that this document is certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me’

For documents without a photo, the following certification is expected:

‘I certify this to be a true copy of the original seen by me’