Identification problem

Scan the appropriate documents and export to pdf format. Attach the result to an email.

Often when you go paperless with a utility company say, your bills are all available as pdfs already.

Tim

You can print a mini-statement in a bank branch which will be accepted because it will have some form of authentication code in the corner.

Its an issue and precisely why I had to get a passport even though I have no intention of going anywhere! Scan in a passport or your driving licence? Brian

Some companies require proof of address which requires a recent utility bill or similar. Passports don't have addresses and driving licences can be out of date by several years. Anyone can create a convincing looking document with a word processor.

Which is Illegal and carries a £1000 penalty.

Lots of people are assuming that there is a scanner available, there is not. and lockdown has closed out local libraries wheich makes it difficult getting a document sacanned.

Mobile phone cameras are plenty good enough to "scan" an A4 sheet, there are apps to de-skew/de-speckle and convert multiple pages to a single PDF.

Its worse. I dont have paper bank statements, but downloadable PDFs. I asked if those would do. Mo, they must be on paper. Could I scan the paper and email that? Yes, that was all right...

So I sent the pdf anyway.

I have notified DVLA of change of address, and have the return letter to prove it.

They haven't updated my licence though as the photo wasn't good enough.

Suits me, I don't drive anyway.

Council Tax bill seems to be the most reliable paper bill still available, but it's only annual.

Owain

That's the one I keep as paper, despite enticements by the council to "win" having your council tax paid if you go paperless, some places only like bills under 3 months old though, but I've found that if I say "that's the only paper one I have, take it or leave it", they take it, and they also take expired passports as photo-id, that includes banks and solicitors involved in buying property.

It's better than it was as companies are realising that many people are now "paperless". I do like the contradiction in:

"I'm paperless, can I email a .pdf as downloaded from xyx?." "No." "OK can I print out that downloaded .pdf, scan/photgraph it and email that image?" "Yes."

If you have a bank branch any where near you. Our nearest are twenty plus miles away. Would that be an "essential" journey?

Yet again, it doesn't have to be "essential". The question is whether it is "reasonably necessary". Whether that test is met depends on why you need the ID now.

Like Andy that's the only one I still have on paper, and it's what I use for ID on tips to the trip

I've done a few click and collect at Screwfix. Not once been asked for ID

- just show them my phone with the SMS order number on it and tell them my surname.

Anywhere else, a photo driving licence has been fine. Or a credit card.

when they first started accepting paypal, they did insist on seeing photo-id, so I stopped using paypal with screwfix, similarly they used to insist on seeing debit card you'd paid with online, not any more

Nowadays just stating your surname and last 4 digits of order number while standing behind the hazard tape on the floor seems sufficient without showing anything.

I generally use Paypal since it is faster than entering your card details. Even although I don't 'store' the password on my PC.

Yup. Although I'd guess the chances of someone else picking up the stuff you'd paid for fairly remote.

Despite an initial dislike of PayPal (based on bad press) it's my preferred method now. Simply because it drags my address through at the same time so a little less form filling (despite me having LastPass to fill forms for me).

Yes. The credit card companies would be wise to take note.

I've generally found Paypal OK. Only really one problem in thousands of transactions. For a quite small amount - not sure a credit card would have been any better.