The passport does seem to be the most acceptable i/d that is around._ This is despite the fact that it does not have the person’s address in it._ To go off-topic slightly, in Australia it is necessary when buying a mobile SIM card to produce either a passport or an Australian driving licence (other documents are accepted but these are also documents that only an Australian will possess)._ A UK driving licence is unacceptable._ Not even the International driving licence is on the list of acceptable documents._ And as an ironic footnote, a UK address is not acceptable, it has to be an address within Australian - I give them my son’s address when I buy an Australian SIM card (I was told that the computer cannot cope with UK postcodes).
Sorry mod for drifting off-topic - but it does emphasise the special status of the passport.
Olivermbs is very sensible to have made a photocopy of his passport which helps enormously if the original is lost or seriously unavailable.