Valid forms of ID?

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:19

I'm not road legal (almost as blind as a bat!), so is a passport my only option for ID in UK shops? My passport got water damaged, and although there was still 6 years left on it, I've been told that I still have to pay the full £72.50 to replace it.

As I'm not planning to go abroad for a good few years, so is there any other form of ID that I can get? I think there is the "Prove It Card" but that's for 18-25 age range only IIRC. Remember no driver's license as not road legal. It's mainly for alcohol and age-restricted items, the latest examples being a hedge trimmer and a Sodastream refill in Argos

Thanks

tom_e · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:20

Passport and Driving licence are the only 2 everywhere will accept, some places will accept cards with the PASS logo but not many.

antijoke · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:20

Is there not some form of ID card you can get?

I swear I remember such things from years ago which you could apply for if you didn't have a driving licence.

Redgie · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:21

This will vary for each store.

Example (and most common): https://twitter.com/argoshelpers/status/492021863011610624

LeeUK · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:25

Official ID with photo e.g. Passport, Driving Licence Card (including Provisional), Military ID, PASS Card.

NI Number cards, Bus Passes, Library Cards, Birth Certs, etc are not valid plus anything without a photo on is a no no anyway.

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:36

Thanks guys.

I've looked up PASS Card, and it seems to be divided into numerous national and local schemes. I'm probably going to go for the bottom-left on the link (Validate UK) as that's a national scheme. £15.

http://www.pass-scheme.org.uk/card-suppliers

sanaxe1 · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:39

Just apply for a provisional driving licence. You dont need to be road legal.

Werewolf · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:41

Erm this may sound daft, but if your eyesight is really bad do you have a blue badge?

It's bulky and not all places will accept it, but it is a government issued document with photo ID effectively - a few years back my mum's bank wanted photo id, but she's never passed her driving test and didn't have a passport, in the end they accepted the blue badge as photo id in conjunction with her birth certificate.
[edit]
Just realised it won't do as proof of age, as I'm an idiot and forgot it doesn't have date of birth on it.

LeeUK · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:43

But of course if an individual company refuses to accept it as ID then there is not a lot you can do out it. You can't demand anyone to accept it.

SexyGreyFox · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:43

Pawnless Endgame said:
Thanks guys.

I've looked up PASS Card, and it seems to be divided into numerous national and local schemes. I'm probably going to go for the bottom-left on the link (Validate UK) as that's a national scheme. £15.

http://www.pass-scheme.org.uk/card-suppliers

I've never heard of that so how do you know if somebody in Bargain Booze would know it's valid?

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Dec 2016 at 16:43

sanaxe1 said:
Just apply for a provisional driving licence. You dont need to be road legal.

Ahh, this site says that for a provisional, I must be able to read a numberplate from 20 metres away. I only have useful eyesight range of 2 metres with my contact in (other eye blind).

https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

Not sure about the blue badge btw... have never looked into it! I do occasionally get concessions though if I phone up e.g. the theatre beforehand and provide plenty of notice.

Avenged7Fold · 1 Dec 2016 at 17:08

Pawnless Endgame said:
Ahh, this site says that for a provisional, I must be able to read a numberplate from 20 metres away. I only have useful eyesight range of 2 metres with my contact in (other eye blind).

https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence

Not sure about the blue badge btw... have never looked into it! I do occasionally get concessions though if I phone up e.g. the theatre beforehand and provide plenty of notice.

Well thats because it is with the intention of driving, just dont start learning. You can get a card by paying the cash and filling the forms, there are no eyesight tests till your driving exam, which is 'read that license plate'. As long as you dont declare that your so blind you are not allowed to drive, no one will know a thing

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Dec 2016 at 17:13

Thanks Avenged! I think that is my best option then, to go provisional and pay the £34 online and then it's for 10 years.

By the time I do actually need to go abroad, the passports will be different anyway because of the Brexit

LeeUK · 1 Dec 2016 at 17:42

SexyGreyFox said:
I've never heard of that so how do you know if somebody in Bargain Booze would know it's valid?

Not sure about Bargain Booze as they are just a "club" for corner shop owners, but proper national retailers give their staff full training on challenge 25 stuff and I can tell you that a blue badge is not a valid ID.

SexyGreyFox · 1 Dec 2016 at 17:46

LeeUK said:
Not sure about Bargain Booze as they are just a "club" for corner shop owners, but proper national retailers give their staff full training on challenge 25 stuff and I can tell you that a blue badge is not a valid ID.

I was on about Validate UK!
I don't know about these things, just asking.

LeeUK · 1 Dec 2016 at 17:55

SexyGreyFox said:
I was on about Validate UK!
I don't know about these things, just asking.

Yes I said in an earlier post too that even though PASS is a legit ID, you can't demand someone to accept it. Especially if they have never heard of Validate UK.

Efour · 1 Dec 2016 at 18:06

If you are paying 34quid why not pay the rest and get the pasport which is infinitely more useful?

SexyGreyFox · 1 Dec 2016 at 18:22

LeeUK said:
Yes I said in an earlier post too that even though PASS is a legit ID, you can't demand someone to accept it. Especially if they have never heard of Validate UK.

Like

Avenged7Fold · 1 Dec 2016 at 19:44

Efour said:
If you are paying 34quid why not pay the rest and get the pasport which is infinitely more useful?

Considering his first got water damage, be that from being in his pocket when he was outside and it rained or beer got spilt on it during a night out, probably safe to assume the next one wont last as long if he sports it every time he goes out drinking.

Provisional is cheaper and much more durable + wallet size

Pawnless Endgame · 1 Dec 2016 at 20:14

Avenged7Fold said:
Considering his first got water damage, be that from being in his pocket when he was outside and it rained or beer got spilt on it during a night out, probably safe to assume the next one wont last as long if he sports it every time he goes out drinking.

Provisional is cheaper and much more durable + wallet size

Nice theory about the water damage, but no cigar. It actually went through a 60C wash! The photo inside is ruined which is why the passport is now invalid. The rest of the document survived remarkably well. Just the photo's seriously degraded.