PART 2Applications for electoral identity or anonymous elector’s documents
Power to request additional evidence where certain information is unavailable or where the registration officer considers it necessaryI17
1
A registration officer must require an applicant to provide additional evidence where the registration officer considers additional evidence is necessary to verify the identity of the applicant in respect of their identity document application, including where the officer considers it is necessary because the applicant is not able to state the information required by regulation 4(1)(d) or (e).
2
Where a registration officer requires additional evidence—
a
the officer must, at the same time, inform the applicant of—
i
the evidence submission date, which is the date 28 days after the day on which the registration officer requires the additional evidence, and
ii
the fact that the registration officer may reject the applicant’s identity document application in the event that the applicant fails or refuses to provide the additional evidence on or before the evidence submission date; and
b
if the applicant provides additional evidence, it must be provided in accordance with—
i
where the applicant has or is applying to have an anonymous entry on the register of parliamentary electors or local government electors, one of paragraphs (3) to (6);
ii
otherwise, one of paragraphs (4) to (6).
3
The applicant may provide a copy, or where the registration officer considers it appropriate, the original, of one of the following documents—
a
the applicant’s passport;
b
the applicant’s identity card issued in the European Economic Area;
c
the applicant’s biometric immigration document issued in the United Kingdom in accordance with regulations made under section 5 of the Borders Act 200741;
d
the applicant’s electoral identity card issued in Northern Ireland;
e
the applicant’s photocard driving licence granted in the United Kingdom or driving licence granted by a Crown Dependency, which bears a photograph of the applicant.
4
The applicant may provide a copy, or where the registration officer considers it appropriate, the original of—
a
one of the following documents, which, except in relation to paragraph (vii) must have been issued in the United Kingdom or Crown Dependencies—
i
the applicant’s birth certificate;
ii
the applicant’s marriage or civil partnership certificate;
iii
the applicant’s adoption certificate;
iv
the applicant’s firearms certificate granted under the Firearms Act 196842;
v
the record of a decision on bail made in respect of the applicant in accordance with section 5(1) of the Bail Act 197643;
vi
the applicant’s driving licence, which is not in the form of a photocard;
vii
the applicant’s driving licence, granted other than in the United Kingdom or Crown Dependencies, which bears a photograph of the applicant and which must be valid for at least 12 months from the date the applicant entered the United Kingdom; and
b
two other documents, each of which may be either from sub-paragraph (a) or paragraph (5).
5
The applicant may provide a copy, or where the registration officer considers it appropriate, the original, of four documents, each of which may be any of the following kinds of evidence and which must bear the applicant’s full name as stated on the identify document application—
a
a financial statement, including but not limited to—
i
a mortgage statement;
ii
a bank or building society statement or a letter from a bank or building society confirming that the applicant has opened an account with that bank or building society;
iii
a credit card statement;
iv
a pension statement;
b
a council tax demand letter or statement;
c
a utility bill;
d
a Form P45 or Form P60 issued to the applicant by their employer or former employer;
e
a statement of benefits or entitlement to benefits, such as a statement of child benefit, within the meaning of section 141 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 199244, or a letter confirming that the applicant is entitled to housing benefit, within the meaning of section 130 of that Act45.
6
The applicant may provide an attestation which must—
a
confirm that the applicant is the person named in the identity document application,
b
state that the qualifying attestor is aware of the penalty for providing false information to a registration officer,
c
be in writing and signed by the qualifying attestor,
d
state the full name, date of birth, address, electoral number and occupation of the qualifying attestor, and
e
state the date on which it is made.
7
In paragraph (6), the “qualifying attestor” is a person—
a
whom the registration officer is satisfied is of good standing in the community,
b
who is registered as an elector—
i
where the registration officer to whom the application is made is appointed for an area in England or Wales, in a local authority area in England or Wales,
ii
where the registration officer to whom the application is made is appointed for an area in Scotland, in a local authority area in Scotland,
c
who is not the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild of the applicant, and
F3ca
regulation 25A(3) of the Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2008;
d
who has not already signed F2a relevant identity attestation for two applicants since, whichever is the later of,—
i
the date on which the revised register in which that person’s name appears was last published under section 13(1) of the 1983 Act46, or
ii
the date on which a notice specifying that person’s entry in the register was issued under (as the case may be) section 13A(2), 13AB(2), 13B(3), (3B) or (3D) or 13BC(3) or (6) of that Act47 (and if there has been more than one such notice, the date on which the last one was issued).
F17A
In paragraph (7)(d), a relevant identity attestation is an attestation provided in accordance with—
a
paragraph (6);
b
regulation F426B(6) or (6ZA) or 56C(5A) or (6) of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001;
c
regulation F526B(6) or (6ZA) or 56C(5A) or (6) of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Regulations 2001;
d
paragraph 16C(5) of Schedule 2 to the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012;
e
regulation F672B(5A) or (6) of the Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016.
8
This regulation does not apply where—
a
the applicant is under the age of 16,
b
there is information available to the registration officer from any educational record relating to the applicant, and
c
that information is sufficient to satisfy the registration officer as to the applicant’s identity.
9
In this regulation, “Crown Dependency” means the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey or the Isle of Man.