Can Brits avoid the introduction of ID cards this time?

[-]

Curious_Octopod@reddit

The Children's Wellbeing and School bill has effectively introduced digital ID for children, who will keep it for life. Unless we can get that law repealed, and we should, ID is here to stay.

[-]

There are a lot of points to quibble in the bill, but the big ones are that it discriminates against disabled children/families of disabled children, and it shifts the responsibility for parenting to the state. The state is normally considered "the parent of last resort" in recognition that whatever parenting it can provide is less than what is provided by an average, or even a struggling, parent.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

Thank you, for this clarification.
I don’t like the idea of being followed for the rest of my life, the same applies for my fellow citizens. Even if it’s supposedly for my own good.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

This isn't clarification. That entire comment is absolute nonsense 😂.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Firstly - that's not what "follow the child for life" means. It means it will be given at birth and it will be held for life. Similar to your National Insurance number that you get just before your 16th birthday.

It absolutely does not mean your ID card is going to list the number of detentions you got from your history teacher. That is absolutely hilarious nonsense. And your test results already follow you for life - what do you think happens when you can't list GCSEs for a job??

Honestly this entire comment is absolute codswallop.

The UK’s proposed digital ID system is about proving identity to access services. The data involved is basic identity info (name, date of birth, etc.), not school behaviour.

Data sharing in child welfare systems is about safeguarding children - something that already exists today between agencies. It does not mean unrestricted access to everything about you, or permanent public records of personal events.

Please go and read actual reputable news sources rather than social media because youre perfectly demonstrating what happens when you read drivel and don't think critically about it.

[-]

Lost-In-The-Wood5@reddit

It's inevitable that will have an ID card of some sort in the future. You can wet your pants about it today but you are fighting a battle that you're destined to lose.

I don't really see the issue in having a government issued ID card, provided it's free, as I'm not a tin foil hat wearing moron. Other countries have them and they're not an issue. In fact they often very convenient.

[-]

Dave190768@reddit

It’s not free it’s from the government that we pay for. It has been done before and in other countries it was called papers then in Germany it helped the SS find the Jews

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

The government confirmed the iD cards would be free.

[-]

Lost-In-The-Wood5@reddit

If it was akin to the papers in Germany then the far right would love the ID cards, instead they're scared of them.

[-]

Deuce03@reddit

We've successfully killed mandatory digital ID. If the same support can be mobilised again, we can probably get the whole thing scrapped. As they haven't waited that long, I'm hopeful that the existing support base will continue its opposition at a similar level.

But they'll try again in 10-15 years and we'll have to go through the whole rigmarole again.

[-]

Curious_Octopod@reddit

We haven't - CWS Bill introduces it for kids who will keep it after they leave school.

[-]

Deuce03@reddit

Well that can screw off too then. I've emailed the consultation and I'll write to my MP again tomorrow.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

Thank you, Deuce. I also believe we cannot be defeatist about this point, otherwise we will find ourselves with very limited freedoms and any act of defiance later on will carry extreme consequences that so few will be willing to risk facing.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Can you name a single other democracy where this has happened? Most have had ID cards for a decade or more.

[-]

Curious_Octopod@reddit

Thank you - I know it can feel like shouting into the void, but every action helps.

[-]

men_in_the_rigging@reddit

I have a national identity card living in Asia. It's incredibly helpful. The other day I boarded a domestic flight with it. I can book into hotels, show it at ferry terminals, without bringing my passport to places it might get lost/stolen/damaged. It's not some conspiracy to 1984 us all. It's a streamlining process that actually helps defend against illegal operations.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

And drastically reduce identification fraud.

[-]

A_Roll_of_the_Dice@reddit

... yeah... that's what it'll do.

Not at all like it's going to create a single digital database with all of your valuable ID information on it, prime for the taking by people who are highly motivated to get a hold of such information.

It's not as if that could have any risks or anything, like the age verification sites being hacked, is it?

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

If you've ever order from Amazon or any online shop - all your details are literally sat on a database somewhere.

If you order online regularly, all your details are sat on many hundreds of databases.

If you use online banking, where do you think your apps store all the information about your transactions?

And if you blindly accept cookies to every website, your online habits are tracked by each website and sent on to many third-party trackers all around the globe.

[-]

men_in_the_rigging@reddit

These databases are a fact of life these days. All our information is out there for the taking, if someone is smart and nefarious enough to do so. We have to trust that governments, banks, and institutions will use the best protections available. The alternative is stash everything in a cabin in the woods and buy a shotgun.

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

Do you have the same concerns about your driving license or passport? If not then what's the problem. If you do then fair enough.

[-]

N64Andysaurus92@reddit

I have no opinion. I have a passport and driver's license, the government already has all my details, I don't really see what the issue with another form of ID is. If they issue me one it will just go in to my safe with the rest of my documents and come out when needed.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

Well, one could imagine a situation where I post something like this post expressing misgivings about a Government scheme or something actually critical of the Gov, and my ID is rejected when I next go to travel to the capital.
I’ve heard such things are already part if life in China.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

However, we have a very strong legal system with an independent judiciary, and strong human rights laws (unless you vote reform of course) so it would be illegal for a government to do that to you.

In China they do not have strong human rights laws, or democracy or an independent judiciary.

[-]

danielroseman@reddit

You can imagine anything you like. Do you have any evidence that such a thing is likely, or even possible, or has ever occurred in any of the other democratic countries that also use ID cards?

[-]

rye-ten@reddit

And what about all the countries where they have id c cards and this doesn't happen?

[-]

Far_Government_9782@reddit

You are already surveilled in about a million ways. ID cards just make everyday life administration easier.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

How would it make life easier? It’s another thing to worry about. It won’t replace the driving license, the passport, the library card. It would be in addition to them, surely?

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

You need to go and read up on European IDs.

They are extremely useful and make administrative tasks so much easier.

Why in 2026 are we still having to send copies of bank statements and two bills to prove who we are?? It's so backwards.

[-]

Tarmacsurfer@reddit

And you really think you won't have to if they introduce yet more documentation? 🤣

[-]

Far_Government_9782@reddit

Er, I live in a country where we have an ID card. Of course we don't mess around with silly utility bills to prove ID, what an odd idea.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

It's wild isn't it that this is still what we have to do in the UK in 2026.

Not least because it leaves us all wide open to identify fraud.

[-]

Tarmacsurfer@reddit

You have no idea how ridiculously inefficient UK officialdom can be.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Yes. Because that's quite literally what the IDs are used for.

Everyone commenting how against they are haven't spent even five seconds to read up on what you can do with them in countries like Belgium.

[-]

Tarmacsurfer@reddit

Last I checked, Britain isn't in Belgium.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Wow Sherlock! 😯

I guess you've never heard of an "example" before?

[-]

Tarmacsurfer@reddit

Find a magnifying glass and your own deer stalker, then start investigating "humour" 🙄

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Aww, you really thought you ate with that comment hey?

[-]

Lost-In-The-Wood5@reddit

They could all be rolled up into one.

Person: X ID number: 12345 Permissions: full driving licence, library card, bus pass, etc.

This is far from beyond the means of possibility.

It's more convenient because of the above, but other examples that are used in other countries:

You buy a train ticket, it's linked to your ID card. No messing on collecting tickets or hoping that your phone doesn't run out of battery.

Online banking security/fraud prevention.

Online voting.

[-]

scarletcampion@reddit

Agreed. The two functional bits of ID available to most people are driving licence (for which you need to be capable of driving) and passport (which is bulky and expensive). Having a simple form of ID issued to everyone, be it digitally or like an NI number card, would be a no brainer. My preference is for digital because I often forget my wallet but never forget my phone. Proof of age, ability to work in the UK, and driving licence in one place would be fab.

[-]

electricmong@reddit

You can get a provisional driving licence (with a few exceptions), you don't actually need to be able to drive.

[-]

mrbullettuk@reddit

How?

What benefits do they bring to us, the public?

I can ID myself in multiple ways already, I can be surveilled in multiple ways already. THis seems like a total waste of money (at best).

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

My father in law is disabled. He can't drive and so can't get a driving license.

Due to his disability hasn't travelled abroad for years and doesn't have a passport.

He could go through the faff of getting a passport for ID, but why? Just have a proper ID scheme.

[-]

Lost-In-The-Wood5@reddit

See above. I've answered this.

[-]

abyssal-isopod86@reddit

I'm for it and digital ID in theory but in practice? Handing our personal sensitive data to an American company - Palantair - is a terrible idea.

It should be a British company contracted to do this to keep the money within our own economy as it is sorely needed.

Plus Palantair has done some shady 💩.

[-]

KeyAvocado2925@reddit

Wait, what? Palantir?

[-]

antlered-god@reddit

I don't want any digital system. It's way too dodgy

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Can I ask, where do you think your passport details and driving licence details, and NHS patient details are being kept? On a piece of paper in a filing cabinet? 😅

[-]

Even-Way9768@reddit

Palantir have ruled out being involved with digital ID so I'm not sure what they mean. A lot of misinformation in this thread.

[-]

Even-Way9768@reddit

It's been developed internally in the UK, Palantir have ruled out involvement

[-]

Spicy_Wimp@reddit

Since I cant get a passport or a provisional driving licence, I have no issue with an ID card. I literally have to take a folder full of paperwork anywhere that I need to identify myself.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

One perfect example of why a national ID scheme can benefit many people.

It is also now mandatory to produce ID to vote (thanks Tories 🙄) meaning people like this commenter might find themselves unable to make their voice heard.

[-]

Impressive_Ad2794@reddit

You can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate if you don't have any other form of photo ID. It's specifically for these situations.

Also adding that I'm in favour of a national ID scheme as well anyway.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

That's great! I didn't know that.

[-]

BuddhistThomas@reddit

I think ID cards can still be avoided and that they are worth resisting.

Just listen to what Brits say they are struggling with at the moment: paying rent, getting good healthcare, the cost of food, and so on.

How high on that list is ‘struggling to prove my ID’, if it’s on the list at all.

Yes, the money and time it would take to introduce them and for the people to buy them could be used so much more wisely.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

They are going to be free. You don't have to buy them.

The Tories made ID to vote mandatory. And there are MANY people in the UK who don't have a passport of a driving licence.

Fundamentally, a free national ID would make our voting system more democratic again.

Don't you think being able to vote is important?

[-]

Deuce03@reddit

I think the solution to that problem is to remove the requirement to produce ID to vote, rather than introduce another level of bureaucracy to address another layer of bureaucracy.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

That might be the solution if ID cards didn't have many other uses including making day to day administrative tasks far easier ns drastically reducing identity fraud.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

We’ve been voting for many decades just fine without digital ID cards or any ID cards. If it ain’t broke…

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Please keep up - we were voting fine without ID until the Tories changed the law in 2022 and made it mandatory to show ID to vote.

A commonly cited academic estimate is around 1.7–2 million people in GB don't hold an acceptable ID to vote with.

That's a sh*t ton of people who've effectively been blocked from voting in a democratic general election.

[-]

Derfel60@reddit

I think its unnecessary, i already have 2 forms of ID wtf do i need a 3rd for? Just make driving licenses digital if its necessary

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

Not everyone can get a driving license or has a passport.

[-]

Derfel60@reddit

Yes they can, provisional licenses exist.

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

Can't get a provisional license if you're not allowed to drive due to a disability.

[-]

Derfel60@reddit

Thats okay, passports exist.

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

Ah yes we should expect people to pay a chunk of money to prove they exist.

[-]

Derfel60@reddit

Youre against a 1 time fee of £80 to prove you exist for 10 years when digital ID will cost us £30 each over 3 years? What?

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

I'm against ID costing anyone a penny. If you need ID to vote there should be no cost for it.

Also there are plenty of people not entitled to a British Passport who could do with an ID. If you are a Polish national but living here?

And the digital ID proposal is free, so not sure where your £30 every 3 years is coming from.

[-]

Derfel60@reddit

If you are a Polish national living here and you need ID then you have a Polish passport for that. I also dont think foreign nationals should be voting but thats a different topic.

The digital ID will cost £1.8 billion over 3 years, which is roughly £30 for each of us. Just because its paid through taxes doesnt mean we arent paying it.

[-]

Wootster10@reddit

Right, but it's free to people at the point of access that's the point. Are you in favour of people having to pay to exercise their right to vote?

So you think we should be reliant on other nations to prove who someone is?

And it's not just voting. There are things like AML when you buy and sell a house that require photo ID. Proving that you have a right to work here.

We currently have a mish mash of systems that can't be properly cross referenced that leave gaping holes that people abuse. Bringing in a singular coherent ID makes it easier for average people, makes it harder to abuse.

[-]

SnooDonuts6494@reddit

I doubt we'll ever get one, because I suspect biometrics will have taken over before a physical ID is agreed upon. I don't see how you can forever avoid people scanning your eyeball or using other forms of recognition.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

Sad but true, not to mention scary

[-]

dereks63@reddit

Ex military here they don't bother me. Will I get one, no, just because this government wants me to.

[-]

antlered-god@reddit

I don't mind ID cards but I certainly don't want digital ones. We rely far too much on digital systems. If there's ever a proper internet outage that lasts any length of time, nothing works any more. Also never secure enough. There are ALWAYS data breaches.

[-]

rye-ten@reddit

It doesn't bother me to be honest. I'm pretty ambivalent about it. The Government have all this info on me already and more.

[-]

pcor@reddit

Fairly apathetic to it, given the past couple of decades of the erosion of expectations of privacy. In a world where you have any privacy to defend from prying government eyes, it makes sense to strongly oppose them. When every online service, supermarket, advertiser, bank etc has collected enough data on you to collect in a multi-volume biography, it’s hard to give much of a shit.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

If one is not happy about and is concerned where this might lead us, is it not defeatist to surrender so easily?

[-]

Impressive_Ad2794@reddit

Eh, you pick your battles.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

Fair enough

[-]

virusdancer@reddit

As someone that doesn't drive, it's easier to carry around a Citizen Card than my passport.

[-]

Thats_my_nirnroot@reddit

I fundamentally disagree, us Brits have a long history of accepting identification, and government registration.

We are culturally far past any notion of anonymity.

I would however argue that any further ID systems, needs to also remove other types of ID that we currently had to deal with.

Ideally a singular ID, which can digitally encompass driving licence and passport, would be preferable.

[-]

BuddhistThomas@reddit

If the digital ID would replace all the other forms of ID, be free and handled by a Gov agency that was formed especially to handle this in a secure fashion, I would lean towards being in favour of it. But can you imagine the Gov forsaking all the revenue that comes in from people paying for driving licenses? To name just one?

[-]

Thats_my_nirnroot@reddit

For me, it would need to remove the physical need for other forms of ID (excluding passport unfortunately), and come with a reduced cost for each.

But most importantly, tying-up all the seperate processes for various manual/physical ID applications, and putting into one simple place.

And instead of carrying a card in your wallet, you can verify your identity via thumbprint and eye scan, if not a phone.

This would then clean up further archaic processes, like council tax letters, car tax letters, Speeding ticket letters, student finance.. and make it all digital, linked up to your digital ID/gov profile.

[-]

No_General_7216@reddit

I will not be partaking in it for as long as possible to the greatest extent as possible. And I will sign any and every petition to prevent it

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

Why?

[-]

QuentinUK@reddit

Most people already have ID as a driver’s licence. They should make carrying a driver’s licence while driving a legal requirement. This would be more convenient when they introduce the Digital Driver’s Licence in the Summer. Then they could use the same App for Provisional and non-Driver’s Licence too.

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

I'm not at all bothered by a national ID. I imagine it will be fairly useful.

But I don't think it should be mandatory to carry an ID whilst driving. Its so easy to forget your purse or bag, or if digital for your phone to run out of battery.

It was also be yet another thing to waste police time and clog up the legal system.

[-]

jbkb1972@reddit

I won’t have one and I certainly won’t be paying for one, when we are as a family struggling financially as it is. Remember the government work for us.

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

My concern is that the government will force our hand. Yes, taking the personal decision to resist it, is one way, but as a society, is there a way to avoid this?

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

They can't force you to do a mandatory thing and then make it cost money.

If you don't want a passport, you don't have to have one - but then you're choosing to not go on holiday.

If you don't have a driving license, that's cool - but you're choosing not to drive.

If you dont want to vote, that's cool - but then you don't get to complain your voice isn't heard.

However - The government has said digital IDs would be available free of charge to UK citizens and legal residents.

[-]

Even-Way9768@reddit

It'll be free as far as I know

[-]

Multi-form@reddit

Just because Starmer said it is no longer compulsory doesn't mean the infrastructure isn't being built in the background. They're trying to ban/limit social media for under 16s. You will be able to gain access once you provide Meta with your Digital ID.

[-]

Even-Way9768@reddit

Idk, given it's not mandatory I think uptake will be high when people see how practical it is

[-]

mrbullettuk@reddit

The last I heard they were not mandatory and would only be required if you wanted to work or claim benefits...

[-]

WalkingMaggotFood@reddit (OP)

“If you wanted to work…” this is equivalent to saying if you want live, isn’t it?

[-]

bright_sorbet1@reddit

You don't need it to work.

ID cards across Europe are really practical for so many tasks including getting loans, mortgages, renewing passports, licences, registering kids in schools etc.

My Belgian BF was able to use his ID to do most of the house buying process from abroad.

[-]

Xenozip3371Alpha@reddit

Start a petition, that way they can look at it person, and then wipe their arse with it as do all these petitions.