‘Plan your voting photo ID now’, urges Post Office
The Post Office is urging people to plan now for the new photo ID requirement at next month's local elections.
Voters are advised to consider whether there is enough time for a new passport or driver's licence to be returned to them if they are intending to use it as their photo ID in order to vote at the elections on May 4.
Elinor Hull, Post Office identity services director, said: ' No one wants to see someone turned away from voting at a polling station because they don't have the required form of ID with them.
'Our postmasters handle thousands of applications for passport and driver's licence renewals every week as people still prefer to do this face to face and have peace of mind that their application has been checked and completed correctly.
'Many people with an expiring passport will be desperate to renew it before the summer holidays, but if you're planning to do so around the local elections it's important to consider what other form of photo ID you have to vote.
'We know from sales of our own Post Office PASS card how popular it is among younger people.
'We want to do what we can to raise awareness among young people in particular that they may already have an acceptable form of photo ID that's in their wallet, that they likely use it frequently in their day-to-day life and that they can use it to vote at May's elections.'
Angela Rayner, Labour deputy leader and shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said: 'The Tories' expensive and unnecessary voter ID policy is continuing to unravel with voters at risk of being caught out while renewing driving licenses and passports.