Countersignatory requirements
Published 28 April 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/horizon-shortfall-scheme-appeals-proving-your-identity/countersignatory-requirements
Who can act as your countersignatory
Your countersignatory must:
- have known you for at least 2 years
- be able to identify you, for example they are a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
- be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession
Your countersignatory cannot be:
- related to you by birth or marriage
- in a relationship with you
- someone who lives at the same address as you
Accepted occupations for countersignatories
Examples of recognised professions include:
- accountant
- airline pilot
- articled clerk of a limited company
- assurance agent of recognised company
- bank or building society official
- barrister
- chairman or director of a limited company
- chiropodist
- commissioner for oaths
- councillor, for example local or county
- civil servant (permanent. Excluding Department for Business and Trade employees)
- dentist
- director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
- engineer with professional qualifications
- financial services intermediary, for example a stockbroker or insurance broker
- fire service official
- funeral director
- insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
- journalist
- Justice of the Peace
- legal secretary (fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs)
- licensee of a public house
- local government officer
- manager or personnel officer of a limited company
- member, associate or fellow of a professional body
- Member of Parliament
- Merchant Navy officer
- minister of a recognised religion (including Christian Science)
- nurse (registered general nurse or mental health nurse)
- officer of the armed services
- optician
- paralegal (certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals)
- person with honours, for example an OBE or MBE
- pharmacist
- photographer (professional)
- police officer
- president or secretary of a recognised organisation
- Salvation Army officer
- social worker
- solicitor
- surveyor
- teacher or lecturer
- trade union officer (excluding Department for Business and Trade representatives)
- travel agent (qualified)