Thankfully I was invited to attend an interview with Tesco tomorrow which I accepted only for him to refuse as I don't have afull birth certificate. I have a full UK passport, full UK driving licence (both parts) and national insurance number. I have never been asked for my birth certificate before and usually this is not deemed sufficient identification in my experience. He has kindly given me until Friday to sort out my birth certificate but I fear that it is going to cost me £s for express delivery which I do not have at the moment, for a job I may not get and a certificate i cant imagine why i would use again.

I forgot to leave a question. He asked for my passport, full birth cert and NI number. Why would one company need this much ID at interview stage and why is the ID I do have not sufficient?

It is very puzzling, I agree.

You wouldn't be able to obtain a Passport and NI number without a Birth Certificate so not sure why they are insisting on the Birth Certificate along with those two ! I imagine it is simply another jobsworth sticking to his script

It is all down to Home Office guidance. Every employer now has to check an applicant's right to work in the UK - and as penalties are so severe (Tesco were fined £115,000, hence why they have had a major purge) they are wise to make sure that they have every piece of evidence necessary to prove that they carried out all necessary checks.

The HO guidance is here, and advises on which documents are acceptable to provide a defence in the event that an applicant later employed is found not to be entitled to work in the UK

Bizarrely, even where there is no doubt that an applicant is a UK national the evidence has to be taken from ALL applicants - in the event that an unsuccessful applicant alleges discriminatory treatment the employer would then be able to defend on the basis that all applicants were treated equally in terms of having to prove entitlement to work.

I fear that it is going to cost me £s for express delivery which I do not have at the moment, for a job I may not get and a certificate i cant imagine why i would use again

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You may well find in the event that you don't get the job that you will still need the certificate for future prospective employers.

 

It is unfortunate but sadly the way it has to be these days. Hope that your application is successful

Hmmm, im pretty sure if you provided a passport and national insurance number and had something else as well like a driving licence they should not be forcing you for a birth cert.

Tesco went through the purge when I was employed. You had to produce NI number, Passport OR Driving L OR Full birth Cert as well as proof of address if no Driving License.