A Statutory Declaration of Identity is a formal legal document used in England and Wales by which a person (the declarant) solemnly and sincerely declares their identity — including their full legal name, date of birth, nationality, and the details of any identity documents they hold — before a person authorised to administer oaths. It is governed by the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 and the Oaths Act 1978, and its specific relevance to identity matters is further supported by the Identity Documents Act 2010. The declaration is made under solemn affirmation rather than on oath, making it accessible to people of all faiths and beliefs in accordance with the Oaths Act 1978.

The core purpose of a Statutory Declaration of Identity is to provide formal evidence of who a person is, particularly in circumstances where standard identity documents are unavailable, have been lost, contain discrepancies, or are insufficient for the purposes of a particular organisation or authority. By making the declaration, the declarant formally asserts that the facts stated within it are true to the best of their knowledge and belief. Making a false statement in a Statutory Declaration is a criminal offence under the Perjury Act 1911, carrying a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment — a serious consequence that gives the declaration significant evidential weight.

A Statutory Declaration of Identity is distinct from a formal legal name change by deed poll. It does not change a person's name; it confirms that one or more names, as they appear across different documents, all refer to the same individual. This makes it particularly valuable for resolving name discrepancies — one of the most common administrative obstacles faced by individuals in dealings with government agencies, financial institutions, and employers.

Our template is drafted in accordance with the prescribed form of words required by the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 and includes all the elements required for the declaration to have formal legal effect. It must be signed in the physical presence of a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, or other authorised person — it cannot simply be signed without being witnessed.

A Statutory Declaration of Identity is required in England and Wales in a broad range of practical situations where formal evidence of identity is needed but standard documents are unavailable, incomplete, or inconsistent.

One of the most common uses is resolving name discrepancies between official documents. This frequently arises where a person's name appears differently on documents issued at different times or by different organisations — for example, where a birth certificate omits a middle name that appears on later documents, where immigration records use a transliteration of a foreign name that differs from the version on a passport, or where employment records use an informal or shortened version of a name. A Statutory Declaration confirms that all the variants refer to the same individual.

Passport applications and replacements are another frequent trigger. HM Passport Office may require a Statutory Declaration in support of an application where the applicant's name or identifying details differ across supporting documents, or where primary identity documents are not available in the standard form.

Banks and financial institutions operating under customer identification requirements (Know Your Customer or KYC obligations under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017) may require a Statutory Declaration of Identity when a customer cannot produce the standard combination of identity documents or when there is a discrepancy between documents.

HMRC may accept a Statutory Declaration of Identity as supporting evidence in connection with tax affairs, National Insurance records, or tax credit applications where name discrepancies need to be resolved. Companies House similarly may require evidence of identity in certain circumstances in connection with company directorships or filings.

Employers conducting right to work checks under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 may find a Statutory Declaration of Identity useful as supplementary evidence where name discrepancies arise between the employee's primary right to work documents and other records.

A properly drafted Statutory Declaration of Identity for England and Wales must contain several key elements required by the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 and the conventions of English legal practice.

The declarant's full identifying details must be set out at the outset. This includes the declarant's full legal name, residential address (including postcode), occupation, date of birth, and nationality. These details serve to identify the declarant uniquely and to link the declaration to a specific individual.

The identity documents held by the declarant should be set out clearly. This typically includes the declarant's passport number, driving licence number, and National Insurance number where held. The provision of these details adds specificity and evidential weight to the declaration and helps the receiving organisation to verify the declarant's identity against its records.

Where the declaration is being made to resolve name discrepancies, a full list of all names by which the declarant has been known must be included. Each name variant should be identified with its source — for example, 'Thomas Hadley (name on birth certificate)' or 'Tom Hadley (name used in employment records)'. A clear explanation of why the discrepancy arose should be given: whether through marriage, divorce, immigration, cultural naming conventions, typographical errors, or informal usage.

The purpose of the declaration must be stated. The declaration should identify clearly the specific administrative or legal purpose for which it is being made — for example, 'for the purpose of opening a bank account with Barclays Bank plc' or 'for the purpose of resolving a name discrepancy in connection with an application to HMRC'.

The prescribed statutory formula must be included. The Statutory Declarations Act 1835 requires the use of the words 'do solemnly and sincerely declare' and 'conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835'. These words are mandatory and their omission will invalidate the declaration.

The perjury warning and the execution clause — including the place and date of declaration and the name and designation of the commissioner for oaths — must appear at the end of the document. The commissioner must sign and add their official stamp or seal where required.