Protect your account: ID checks, substitutes and deactivation
Why accounts get closed, the substitute rules, and how to appeal.
Why do delivery accounts get deactivated?
The most common reasons riders report are failed selfie or face checks, someone else using the account, mistakes on age-checked orders (such as a customer’s date of birth typed wrongly), marking orders as delivered before they are, repeated late or cancelled orders, customer complaints of theft or abuse, and long inactivity. Platforms now link every account to one verified person with the right to work.
If your account is deactivated, ask for the reason in writing through the app, appeal within the time given with evidence (screenshots, photos, chat logs) and, if needed, make a data subject access request to see the information used. Unions such as the IWGB couriers branch and GMB help members, but usually not with a problem that started before you joined: join early.
Face checks and personal details
Keep your app updated and do the face check in good light, without a helmet, cap or sunglasses. Make sure the name and date of birth on the account match your passport or ID exactly; fix any mistake through support before it triggers a check.
Substitutes and account sharing
Some platforms let a self-employed rider use a substitute, but only through their official process, with the substitute’s own right-to-work and ID checks. Letting a friend use your login, renting your account, or working on someone else’s account is account sharing: it leads to permanent deactivation and can be a criminal offence for both sides.
In London Facebook groups “accounts for rent” are advertised every day, some with tools to fool face checks. These accounts are the first to be closed, and the person working on them has no protection if anything goes wrong.
Avoiding complaints
- Mark delivered only when the customer has the food or the app’s drop-off rules are met
- Take a photo when you leave an order at the door as instructed
- Use in-app chat and calls so there is a record
- Report problems (wrong address, unsafe building) in the app straight away
- On alcohol and tobacco orders, check ID as the app asks (Challenge 25) and type the date of birth carefully; if you don’t want these orders, ask support to turn them off
- Don’t leave an account unused for months: some platforms close inactive accounts, and one delivery resets the clock
How to appeal
Reply calmly and factually, with dates, order numbers and evidence. Ask what exactly the platform believes happened. Under UK data protection law you can request the data the decision was based on, free of charge; the platform normally has one month to answer.
Quick answers
Can I use a substitute on Deliveroo or Uber Eats?
My account was blocked after a face check. What now?
Who can help me with a deactivation?
General information for riders, not legal or tax advice. Rules change: check gov.uk and your platform’s rider pages before you rely on a detail.
