One of the following documents can be used as proof of address:
- Bills for water, power, gas, telephone, and Internet
- Credit card statement or bill
- Letter of recommendation from a bank
- Statement of mortgage or contract
- A letter from a government agency (e.g. a courthouse)
- Insurance for your car or your home
- Form for requesting a change of address that has been authorised
- Employee letter of employment
- An educational institution’s official letter
- a bill from the municipality or a tax notice from the government
- Rental agreement for your home
To confirm proof of address, each bank will have its own set of documents and standards.
Before applying for a bank account, double-check with your local branch to ensure you have the proper documentation.
When a bank states they accept utility bills as evidence of address, they may have specific requirements for which kind of utility bills are acceptable.
Is there anything I can use as a utility bill?
Electricity, water, and gas are examples of utilities. You might also include sewage, trash, and recycling, as well as TV, internet, phone, and streaming services, depending on how you define utilities. The customer’s name, address, and account number are all listed on a utility bill.
Is Netflix comparable to an energy bill?
Electricity, gas, water/sewage, and waste disposal are all examples of utility costs. Other services, such as internet, cable TV, and phone service, are sometimes considered extra utilities, despite the fact that they are now regarded standard in most American homes.
In California, what constitutes proof of residency?
Rental or lease agreements with the signatures of the owner/landlord and the tenant/resident, deeds or titles to residential real property, mortgage bills, home utility bills (including cellular phone), and medical or employee documents are examples of acceptable documents to prove California residency.
A government issued ID
This method of identification allows the bank to match your face to your name, ensuring that you are who you say you are. As proof of identity, bring your driver’s licence, state-issued ID, or passport. If you require a driver’s licence or other state-issued identification, follow the instructions below.
Social Security Card
You’ll need to show that you have a legitimate Social Security number to properly confirm your identification (SSN). When you’re ready to open an account, make sure you bring that document with you.
Current official document with your name and address
This information can be found on a variety of documents, but it is required to prove your residence. To verify residency, you can use a utility bill, credit card statement, lease agreement, or mortgage statement. Print a billing statement from your online account if you’ve gone paperless.
What is residency proof?
For new applications, you must provide documents proving your identity and residence. One evidence of name and age, as well as one proof of address, is required for all Freedom Pass applicants.
Photocopies, not originals, should be used. Documents will not be returned in their original form.
x Proof of your name and age:
- Certificate of Birth (unless your name has changed)
- a valid driver’s licence
- Letter of eligibility to a state pension (Please include your date of birth)
x Proof of your residential address:
- Current tax bill/letter/payment book from the city council
- Rent book/statement/letter/tenancy agreement from the current council/housing association
- Television licence currently in effect
- Utility bill/letter dated within the last three months (excluding mobile phone bills)
- HM Revenue and Customs letter from the previous three months
- Letter from the Department of Work and Pensions, dated within the last three months
- Occupational pension letter from the previous three months
Please note that evidence of address must be current or within the last three months, whichever is relevant, or it will not be accepted.
BANK LETTERS/STATEMENTS AND MOBILE PHONE BILLS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AS PROOF OF RESIDENCY.
A printout of your online bill is acceptable if you pay your bills online and do not receive printed copies.
We will not be able to approve your application for a Freedom Pass if you do not submit verification of your name, age, or address.
If you are unable to post or email the relevant documents, call the Freedom Pass helpdesk at 0300 330 1433 to discuss and make arrangements to bring the paperwork pertaining to your application/renewal to London Councils.
Photograph
A recent passport-sized colour photograph (within the last 12 months) is required for all Freedom Pass applications.
Your photo should be:
- 45mm x 35mm in colour and size
- A current genuine likeness of yourself, sans a cap, facing forwards.
- Photographed on a basic, evenly illuminated, pale-colored backdrop
We will not be able to accept your Freedom Pass application if your photograph does not fulfil the aforementioned conditions.
If you’re switching from a 60+ Oystercard and have chosen to share your information with us, Transport for London will send us your photo, so you won’t have to give another.
Is internet usage billed as a utility?
The bills listed below are accepted. Cable, electricity, water, and the Internet* are all included. (*On-premise internet bills are the only ones accepted.) Utility bills are accepted in both physical and electronic form (E-bills).
Is the internet considered a utility?
People may participate in the digital world, which now includes our daily life, thanks to broadband. It allows people to stay in touch with their relatives and friends, keep up with what’s going on in the country and around the world, and gain access to an infinite number of useful information and services. Broadband has been crucial in facilitating online learning and work, access to healthcare and medical information, and even vaccine delivery during the COVID-19 epidemic. During the outbreak, 87% of respondents said the internet was crucial to them, and 53% said broadband is necessary for critical purposes and everyday duties.
Why, if broadband is so important, does existing federal policy prevent the Federal Communications Commission from regulating it in the same manner that we regulate other public utilities like electricity, water, and phones? Why can’t the FCC ensure internet affordability, avoid bill shock, mandate network resilience, and prevent carriers from retiring older networks without replacing them? I’ll go through some of the specifics of broadband classification, explain why broadband should be classified as a utility, and outline what has to happen to make that a reality.
First and foremost, if you’ve followed our work or this topic in the past, you’re probably acquainted with the term “nett neutrality.” It’s crucial to note that we’re not simply talking about nett neutrality when we talk about Title II of the Communications Act. As part of the long-running campaign for nett neutrality, Title II has entered the public debate. However, the debate is over whether broadband should be classified as a common carrier, which is an economic rule that compels a service provider to serve all consumers and treat all classes of similar customers equally. Net neutrality laws are a type of common carriage that can exist even if a service is not provided as a public utility.
But there’s more to Title II than meets the eye! Reclassifying broadband as a “telecommunications service” under Title II would allow the FCC to regulate it in a manner more akin to that of public utilities. Treating anything as a utility implies that the service is so important that the government must ensure that everyone has fair, reasonable, and cheap access in some way. Utility regulations often allow for a number of broadband-related features, such as ubiquitous, low-cost access and high-quality service.
The truth is that the majority of people believe that broadband is necessary and should be considered like a utility. According to a recent Consumer Reports poll, 80% of consumers say internet is as necessary as water and electricity. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was recently passed by Congress, recognises this, stating that “the term ‘covered utility payment’ means payment for a service for the distribution of electricity, gas, water, transportation, telephone, or internet access for which service began before February 15, 2020.”
The need for high-speed Internet is undeniable. The FCC’s Title II designation means that it can impose network resiliency, reliable backup power, blackout prevention, network replacement, and other steps to guarantee that we are prepared in the event of an emergency. From the California wildfires in 2020 to AT&T’s recent decision to cut nationwide DSL broadband services to the winter storm in Texas that left millions without internet, there are several examples of the necessity for this.
Title II would allow the FCC to aim towards universal coverage and avoid digital redlining, which causes lower-income populations to have slower and more expensive access than those in higher-income areas. This is critical for a variety of aspects of our society, including children affected by the digital divide, workers who are increasingly encouraged or compelled to use the internet at home, and small businesses seeking new clients.
Title II would also establish assurances for price, consumer protection, and service quality, all of which are vital in a country with the world’s most expensive broadband and individuals who regularly access healthcare and critical information via the internet. Utility regulation, without a doubt, results in more egalitarian access. And the very nature of broadband necessitates it.
In the short run, the FCC should reclassify broadband as a Title II telecommunications service as soon as possible. This will provide it the legal authority to defend customers from internet service provider abuses, such as blocking unreasonable data caps and communications shut-offs, preserving nett neutrality and network resilience, and enforcing universal service and enhanced affordability initiatives.
The fact that we are a public utility means that we must provide inexpensive access in the long run. The importance of broadband is just too great to leave its acceptance to chance. That’s why we’ve asked Congress to grant a $50-per-month broadband subsidy to low-income households. The current Emergency Broadband Benefits programme, which gives a short-term $50-per-month subsidy for the pandemic, shows that Congress and the FCC recognise the need of a subsidy. (The existing FCC Lifeline programme only pays low-income Americans with $9.25 per month for broadband access, which is insufficient to cover the connections that families require.)
Broadband connection should not be considered a luxuries. In this digital age, being able to communicate and function is critical. It’s time to reclassify it under Title II and treat it as the public utility that it is. Then it’s time to make sure that those in need can afford it by offering a suitable subsidy.
We’ve seen what happens when it’s not recognised as a public utility: users are at the whim of ISPs in terms of availability and pricing, because ISPs are driven to prioritise profit over the public good. It’s obvious than ever before how critical high-speed internet connectivity is. It’s past time to take efforts towards ensuring that everyone has fair and appropriate access.
Is a cellphone bill considered a utility bill?
Is a telephone bill considered a utility bill? Phone bills are commonly classified as utility bills. However, this only applies to landlines, not mobile phones. Telephone companies’ invoices are utility bills, and they, like energy suppliers, provide a service to the general public.
