Register for the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS)
Proving your identity
You’ll need to prove your identity before you can get any payment from the scheme.
After you’ve registered, a caseworker will contact you by email and tell you what you need to do next. They will tell you how to send any ID documents.
If you have a solicitor
Your solicitor can complete the ID checks for you.
What your solicitor needs to do
They’ll verify your identity and current address. You’ll need to provide your solicitor with your acceptable ID documents. They’ll then need to give scanned copies of these documents to your caseworker.
Your solicitor will then send your caseworker a legal declaration confirming they’ve verified your identity.
If you do not have a solicitor
If you do not have a solicitor yet, or do not want one, you can use a countersignatory to confirm your identity and address.
Who your countersignatory can be
Your countersignatory must:
- have known you for at least 2 years
- be able to identify you, for example they’re 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
Recognised professions for countersignatories
A countersignatory must be in one of the following professions:
- accountant
- airline pilot
- articled clerk of a limited company
- assurance agent of recognised company
- bank or building society official
- barrister
- chiropodist
- commissioner for oaths
- councillor, for example local or county
- civil servant (permanent)
- 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 (RGN or RMN)
- 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
- travel agent (qualified)
- valuer or auctioneer (fellow or associate members of the incorporated society)
- Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers
If your countersignatory does not meet these requirements, your application could be delayed or rejected.
What you need to do
You’ll need to send your 3 ID documents to your caseworker. They must be scanned copies of the original documents.
You’ll also need to send a verification statement signed by your countersignatory.
This should be a document written by your countersignatory which includes the statement “I certify that this is a true likeness of [applicant’s title and full name]”.
The document should also include the date and their:
- full name
- profession
- signature
- contact details
Your caseworker will contact them to confirm that they meet the criteria of a countersignatory. They must be available to respond quickly when contacted, or your application could be delayed or rejected.
List of acceptable ID documents
You need to provide 3 forms of ID documents. They must all be different.
You should provide one of the following, a:
- current valid passport for any country
- current biometric residence permit for the UK
- current full or provisional photo card driving licence from the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands
- birth certificate from the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands (issued within 12 months of birth)
You’ll also need 2 of the following:
- current full or provisional photo card driving licence from any country outside the UK, excluding Isle of Man and Channel Islands
- current full or provisional paper driving licence from the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands only (issued before 1998)
- birth certificate from the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands (issued within 12 months of birth)
- marriage certificate - UK and Channel Islands only
- civil partnership certificate - UK and Channel Islands only
- mortgage statement - UK only (issued in the last 3 months)
- financial statement, for example a pension or endowment - UK only (issued in the last 12 months)
- a statement from central or local government showing you are entitled to benefits
- bank or building society account opening confirmation letter - this must be a paper copy
- original utility bill - this must be a paper copy
- benefit statement - UK only (issued in the last 3 months)
- P45 or P60 statement
- Council Tax bill from UK or Channel Islands only (issued in the last 3 months) - this must be a paper copy
Your documents will not be accepted if they’re:
- blurred
- illegible
- out-of-date
- incomplete
This will cause delays to your application.
If you need help
Contact the Department for Business and Trade for support with registering for the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS).
The Department for Business and Trade hcrsregistration@businessandtrade.gov.uk