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Elderly parents

ID without driving licence or passport

53 replies

ForPearlViper · 02/03/2026 13:52

My Mum is 91. Her passport is lapsed and, as it is very unlikely she will leave the country again, we haven't renewed it. Her driving licence expired at the end of December. She gave up driving last year but we wanted to renew it just so that she would have photo id given she doesn't have a passport any more.

We sent off the renewal in December and I chased it up today to be told it is with their 'medical department' presumably because of her age. So far I haven't been able to get through to said medical department.

Govt departments are pushing for registration with One log in, etc, and it is hard to be without any id these days. I wondered what other seniors in a similar situation do about this?

OP posts:
Grumpynan · 02/03/2026 14:03

I’m 62 this year and don’t drive or with my medical condition think I will be flying any time soon. But I renewed my passport 3 years ago because I needed ID to sell and buy our new house. Glad I did as it’s the only ID I have.

i would suggest you get your mum a passport it’s not a lot of effort and worth having

ProfessorRedshoeblueshoe · 02/03/2026 14:02

Get a bus pass. They are free and can be used as ID for voting

Musicaltheatremum · 02/03/2026 14:00

My dad is 93 he had to give up driving due to epilepsy 2 years ago so hasn't got the licence. Wish I'd just kept it and not informed DVLA. He sold his car at the time so no worries about driving but I'm trying to get him registered online at HMRC and he has a passport in date but not enough other online info re bank accounts to get online.
I'm seriously thinking of renewing his passport next year just for ID purposes. It's so difficult.

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