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Why do I need to prove my identity?
Since 1994, when the government introduced the Money
Laundering Regulations, financial services providers have been required
to have procedures in place to prevent money laundering.
This includes the need to obtain proof of identity and
address from anyone who wishes to open an account or buy any financial
product or service from them.
What is money laundering?
Criminals need to hide the money they make from their
illegal activities so it can’t be traced by the authorities. They may do
this by trying to get their money into a bank, often using a false name
and address, because once the money is in the financial system, it’s
harder to track down and confiscate.
So why am I being asked to prove my identity?
When you open an account with us, we are required by law to
ask you to prove who you are and where you live. The evidence you give
us, confirming your name and address, helps us to stop anyone else from
using your details falsely to open an account.
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Applications by Post
We require THREE different items of identification.
Two from Panel A and one from Panel B and these must be original
documents except for those marked *, where a certified copy is
acceptable. They can be certified by a UK lawyer, banker,
accountant, teacher, doctor, minister of religion or post
master/sub-post master.
The certified copies should be
signed, dated, marked ‘original seen’ and bear the status, name and
address of the certifier, who must be independent of the applicant.
The document itself may be a photocopy, but the certification and
the signature must be original. Please note that you can’t use the
same document to confirm both your name and address
A- To confirm your name
- Current valid full passport*
- Current full UK driving licence*
- Latest Inland Revenue notice/demand
- A benefit book or notification letter from the
Benefits Agency confirming the right to benefits
- Latest Building Society/Bank statement covering
3 most recent months - we require a minimum of 3 consecutive
month’s statements if a Reliance Bank Visa Debit Card is
required. These should verify the income stated on the
application form.
B- To confirm your address
- Utility bill less than 3 months old (e.g. gas,
electricity, water, telephone but not mobile telephone bills)
- Latest Building Society/Bank statement
- Current full UK driving licence*
- Council tax bill valid for the current year
- Recent mortgage statement from a recognised
lender
- Current tenancy agreement
- Current Housing Association rent book
- A store or credit card statement which is less
than 3 months old.
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Giving us proof
Proving your identity is simple. Just show us some of the
original documents listed in this leaflet. We will make a record of the
details and return them to you.
If you are not resident in the UK then we will need to see
either your full passport or national identity card. In addition, we
will also need to see one other item to confirm your address, such as a
driving licence.
If you are applying by post, a certified copy is acceptable.
Got a problem?
Don’t worry if you are unable to provide any of the standard
documents. For example, we realise that you may not have a passport or
driving licence, or any bills or statements addressed to you because
accounts may be held in your partner’s name.
There are other documents we might be able to accept, and we
have other ways of confirming your name and address, such as checking
the Electoral Register. If you are not registered on the Electoral
Register, you should explain why on the application form when applying
to open your account.
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Applications in the bank
As a general rule we only require sight of either a
current valid full UK passport, or a new current new style two part
full UK driving licence. We can use either of these, with a credit
reference search to validate your identification and address as
required by legislation.
If originals of the above documents are not available,
we require 2 different items of identification ...
1 from Panel A and 1 from Panel B and these must be
original documents.
Please note that you can’t use the same document to
confirm both your name and address
A- To confirm your name
- Current valid full passport*
- Armed Forces ID card
- Current full UK driving licence*
- Firearms Certificate
- Building industry sub-contractor’s certificate
(issued by the Inland Revenue)
- Benefits Agency benefit book or original
notification letter from the Benefits Agency confirming your
right to benefits.
- Inland Revenue tax code notification
- Residence permit (issued by the Home office to
EU nationals)
B- To confirm your address
- Current full UK driving licence
- Bank/building society/credit union statement or
passbook showing your current address
- Current council tax bill
- Local council rent card or tenancy agreement
- Most recent utility bill (e.g. gas or
electricity) or certificate from a utilities supplier confirming
pre-payment agreement.
- Benefits Agency benefit book or original
notification letter from the Benefits Agency confirming your
right to benefits
- Most recent original mortgage statement from a
recognised lender
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News..
Proving Your Identity...(applicable to non customers)