thanks for all the comments guys, really quite eye opening to see how much a little issue like this can be so confusing. of course the safest way would be to get it certified and that would be that but it also seems to me the embassy website can be a little mystifying into revealing complete peace of mind in the way of applying for a visa, i know of people who have spent thousands in applications to have it denied on the smallest of whims that passed into an officers mind at the time and the problem is that once it has been denied you have no way of resolving it unless you try again and spend more money. i just wanted to get it right the first time really but it still does not ring clear as to certified or non certified, there is some division amongst you on this little issue which really goes to show how vague the embassy website is. i called them in the end and still had no resolution as the voice on the other end did not know the answer to my question and basically said it would be better to get it certified "just in case" which does not give me much confidence in the british foreign office. i also went down to the guernsey immigration to speak to one of the officers who actually authorise the visa and lo and behold got exactly the same answer yet again "better safe than sorry" although they were a bit more empathetic saying that if it wasnt certified it would not be an issue for them as they would just call me in if they had any questions but they said that although guernsey is the final destination and all the documents would be forwrded to here for final approval and issuance of visa before being returned to manila, they could not comment for the officer who will check the docs in the embassy and if he/she is not entirely happy he/she will not even send them to guernsey but just issue a denial notice and the money is gone. what a bunch of lazy unknowledgable bunch of beauracratic b******s. whatever dept you go to either here or abroad