ID cards at long last

A card ID surely would do the job. I don't have a smartphone. I don't like them. I don't want one.

I take my [dumb] mobile phone with me when I go out in the car, but not otherwise. Phone calls or texts can wait till I get home.

I have a laptop, been online for 25+years so obviously an internet user. I was doing computer work in the 60's and 70's. I am not part of any 'brigade', just know my preferences, priorities and what I need.

ID's will in no way stop the black market. Card ID's would be far cheaper to set up than digital with all it's very many foreseeable problems.

Bad idea.

Allsorts

I still have my old one, in the war babies had them. Little brown card, think I will use that.

Me too😁

I fully support ID cards but not sure our civil service is up to getting it off the ground, perhaps Estonia could lend us support as they seem to have a very efficient set up.
As for people working in the black economy, police or similar will have to have the right to go into places of employment and request sight of ID cards.

I’m all for them and have been for years. There won’t be any necessity for a smart phone apparently, although I do think that the “I’ve never had a smart phone and don’t know how to use a computer” brigade (there’s that word!) really need to join the rest of the world and learn. Even my 96 year old father can check his bank details, read his emails and watch the news on his iPad.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202509/medium-968lii-screenshot-2025-09-26-at-14-02-34.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202509/medium-edvxwc-screenshot-2025-09-26-at-14-04-47.png

Indeed. Interesting for NF who is vehemently opposed while more than half of Reform voters from the GE think it's good idea.

Doodledog

As soon as I hear the word 'brigade' I glaze over.

I don't know what to think about ID cards. I think they could be useful, but wouldn't want them to be linked to health or financial information, and I assume they would be, sooner or later. Name, address, DOB NI and passport number - that sort of thing is fine, and is readily available anyway, but more than that could be dangerous. I'd need more information before deciding if I approve or not.

Also, would people be charged for them? I wouldn't want to see them free for some if others have to pay, and nor would I want to see anyone suffer hardship to get one.

All that info in one place - ideal for scammers and ID fraud and let's face it IT systems in general seem to be being increasingly hacked lately. Security of info would be my main concern amongst others.

It will come in late, cost billions more than expected and likely not even work! It will inconvenience those of us who are law abiding citizens and do little to stop people working illegally, as employers are already supposed to check if they are legally entitled to work here. The ID cards usage will expand over time to not only 'prove' identity, but to include driving, medical, criminal records etc, and other things like your banking info, insurance info etc. The Government will know where you are, what you are buying and when you are buying it. It will further erode the use of cash too possibly. Having all your data in one place will be a gift for hackers and those who carry out identity theft and there are bound to be data breaches of the Government held data!

A majority of Reform voters are in favour of ID cards according to the latest IPSOS poll.
www.ipsos.com/en-uk/57-britons-support-national-id-card-scheme-have-significant-concerns-over-data-security-and

Not surprisingly, Nigel Farage is not keen on digital IDs. He knows that if the digital IDs is successful, he will not be able to use the drumbeat of illegal/legal immigration to get him into number 10 Downing Street.

If he manages to get into number 10, I’m afraid I may be subject to deportation. Even though I lived here for 30+ years, I am still on Indefinite Leave to Remain since my country of origin does not allow dual nationality.

I told my DH if I had to leave this country, I am going to do it in style – one way business class plane ticket. My poor English husband will be crying his eyeballs out – no one to cook his tea but I will be alright.

I don’t object for myself but DH doesn’t have a smart phone … so not really inclusive. But not sure it will get through parliament

I have no issues with ID cards. I do have an issue with digital though. So does that mean everyone in this country has to carry some sort of digital device to enable access to a digital ID? Not everyone has a smart phone.

papieren bitte

I doubt ID cards will prevent dodgy employers paying people on the black.

When it comes to illegal workers we should have the Australian system, if an employers gets caught employing a worker without a permit there is a big fine.

Illegal migrants aren’t welcomed the way we do either

FriedGreenTomatoes2

To be honest I don't remember this in the labour manifesto. Then again, I don't remember most of what they have done to date being in their manifesto….

Nevertheless FGT in other threads you have expressed your enthusiastic support for ID cards. Mind you, it was a couple of weeks ago........

GrannyGravy13

Store your UD card in your phones wallet, you do not need a phone signal to open or view.

Wait for someone to ask where the wallet is 😉
I do wish older people ( and yes, it is older people) would stop thinking that a SMART phone is akin to some alien object.
It’s not!!! It’s just a phone with lots of goodies loaded ( put in) for you to use or not.
Use it just as you would your old phone.
Admittedly you will need help to load ( put on the phone) the app. If the time ever comes where you are asked to produce your ID scroll through ( just as you do on GN and find the App.

To be honest I don't remember this in the labour manifesto. Then again, I don't remember most of what they have done to date being in their manifesto….

Magenta8

REKA

It will take years. What will happen to the many, mainly elderly, who doubt have a smart phone? And it will cost billions.

I believe that, as it stands, only people seeking employment would need ID.

What worries me is that it would only be legitimate employers who would bother with ID cards. The vast black economy of drug dealers, people traffickers etc would be unaffected.

It would open new vistas for false IDs, identity theft and all the other ills of online data scams.

Magenta8
I hate to dissolution you but there are thousands of legal employers employing thousands of illegal workers.
I wonder if McDonalds and the like have upped their game with employing people 🤔

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2kdg84zj4wo

windmill1

And ID won't make even a dent in the illegal migrant numbers - they will still carry on pitching up on the Kent coast and vanishing into the Black economy. There are, I'm sure, many shyster employers prepared to turn a blind eye to any rules.

It's not rocket science to raid employers suspected of employing people illegally, provided authorities have sufficient staff. Absolutely hammer the employers (even more than the employees) and the message will soon get home.

StripeyGran

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I had to laugh. My cousin just messaged me “so rubber boats of unknowns turn up on the shores and as a taxpayer suddenly I'm the problem? Foxtrot Oscar.”

He or she must be cut from the same cloth as yourself then.

Probably. He’s lovely! 💙

GrannyGravy13

The PM is making an announcement on this around 11pm today apparently.

I’ll be in bed. 😂

And ID won't make even a dent in the illegal migrant numbers - they will still carry on pitching up on the Kent coast and vanishing into the Black economy. There are, I'm sure, many shyster employers prepared to turn a blind eye to any rules.

David49

MaizieD

Your life is already on your smartphone you and be tracked and hacked today it would just add a more accessible ID.

I have to tell you, David that you are wrong (what a surprise). Part of my life might be on my smart phone but part of it isn't. I don't have it synched to my other, more heavily used, devices, and I avoid 'apps' like the plague. I do as little as I possibly can with it apart from phone calls and messaging...
I really mistrust IT and think we should stop letting it rule...

You are not typical, I’d don’t have all my life on the smartphone and I don’t have an online profile, but I do have my NHS details, my online banking and Apple Pay on my phone, a great many others have much more.

Once authorities have your phone number you can be tracked that’s a fact of life, they would find it very boring tracking me but there are thousands that are tracked every day, IDs just make it easier to prove you don’t have any bad intent.

I was recently tracked by a pension company which had bought a pension scheme I paid into briefly when I was in my 20s. I'd completely lost track of it and forgotten all about it. I don't even know how much I paid in, but it can't have been much. Fast forward fifty years and I've now received a lump sum and a small amount every month to supplement my pension. I have no idea how I was actually tracked, but I guess it involved my NI number and the electoral roll. This is not new centrally held information.

I really don’t see why, if a system works well in other countries, it couldn’t work equally well in the UK. Some people have strong objections, but for most people I don’t think that’s the issue, rather it is the fear of change. If it’s introduced for working age adults first though, the glitches will surely be ironed out before we are issued with them?