Guest post: "I hope digital ID will make things simpler, easier and more convenient"

[RhiannonEMumsnet]

As a dad of three (or as I call them to a public audience “Cost Units 1, 2 and 3”…), I know how it feels to be juggling a longer and longer to-do list. Between work, the school run, and picking up crushed corn flakes off the floor, trying to keep on top of the "admin" side of parenting often feels like a full-time job in itself.

That’s what the Government is trying to change with the new digital ID.
The idea is that instead of the current faff—being stuck on hold to call centres, having to fill in long paper forms, explaining yourself five times to five different departments just to get your free childcare hours, pay the car tax, or prove you’ve got the right to work—you can access most public services in one place on your phone.

Basically, you’ll be able to use digital ID to login and prove who you are in the gov.uk app. Think of it like your online banking or your shopping apps—everything in one place, joined up and more convenient.

The Government wants technology to do more of the "heavy lifting" for life admin - because parents are some of the hardest-working people in the country with the least amount of free time. And for all the progress made in recent decades, we know a lot of the emotional labour still often falls on mums in particular.

I know people have a range of thoughts on digital ID, which is why we’ve launched a consultation this week. We want to hear from parents about how to make it useful and what assurances people would want.

Quick myth-bust for the worried: firstly, digital ID will be voluntary. We know that some people will prefer to use existing routes to access services, so they’ll remain available and we’re absolutely not going to force people away from that.

Secondly, responsibility for building it will be in-house by government (i.e. we’re not outsourcing it to a big tech company). There will also be no new single central database storing all government data on a person in one place. Data will primarily remain securely in the parts of the system where it already exists - e.g. your driving data will remain stored by the DVLA. Digital ID will just help you access it.

And finally, health would always remain separate. The NHS App is already working well and the Government has spent time developing it already, so there’s no need to duplicate it.

Ultimately, we can’t continue on this two-track process where services in the private sector are fast, easy and digital, and those in the public sector are slow, clunky and disjointed. So for those that want to use it, I hope digital ID will make things simpler, easier and more convenient. For those that don’t, that’s up to them!

Hopefully though it should mean a bit more headspace for family, friends or maybe just some me-time.

You can respond to the government's consultation on digital ID here.

My recollection is that all the faff, as you describe it, is because of the systems, processes and people than one has to interact with when one’s dealing with the NHS, HMRC, Local Authorities etc. Establishing one’s identity is barely an issue at all. The analogy drawn by some of your colleagues, which is that expecting a digital ID to fix government systems is like expecting new key to fix all the issue with your broken down car, seems pretty spot on to me. How will a digital ID streamline HMRCs systems for example. And how will it simplify what is one of the most complex tax codes in the world? Thanks :)

Even though your "compulsory" data-harvesting and social credit enabling idea has been ditched, I'm not about to participate in a "voluntary" version of it either.

Ram your "digital ID".

It’s hard to believe any government, perhaps particularly Labour at the moment ( see Starmer / Mandelson ).

Is it still ‘voluntary’ in the way it was first mentioned by Starmer? Voluntary but you won’t be able to get a job without one.

There are bigger issues to be dealing with than starting the grand population control project on behalf of the EU.

What a load of old cobblers. They have far too much info you as it is.

The UK has ballsed up my (and roughly 460k other Canadians)life.

Suddenly after leaving the UK over 60 years ago, I now need a UK footprint. I identify as Canadian, carry a Canadian passport, pay my taxes here and have no footprint in the UK.

Now if I want to visit as a tourist, I need to acquire a UK passport. The identification required for said passport seems to depend on who is processing your applications. It should be far simpler. Commonwealth passport, UK birth certificate, current photos, and payment. The Crown of Canada has already done the background checks.

People are being given the run around. Being asked to submit the passports their parents emigrated on. Documents from their parents such as their birth certificates, marriage licences. Guarantors being rejected. All of these documents being sent by courier. I know of someone who has now invested $600+ and still haven't managed to please the person handling their passport.

I think I'll just swerve the land of my birth.

Son, don't embarrass yourself, you are talking gumph. As we would say in Scotland "awa an bile yer heid"

Actually never mind billin yer heid just get tae fuck instead ya bawbag. You are rippin ma knitting and i'm pure raging.

This is an odd post. It may be guest, but which guest? It’s obviously written by govt. Why not attribute it?

They can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine!!!

Just another method of control by these Fabians.