Executive Summary
Britain has a long tradition of not requiring citizens to identify themselves in their everyday lives. We believe this principle should be preserved.
While digital technology can make identity verification more convenient, convenience should not become a justification for creating a government-controlled digital identity system. The role of government should be to protect privacy, set standards and provide secure identity documents where necessary—not to become the nation’s identity provider.
This policy rejects the creation of a government digital identity system and instead proposes a privacy-first approach based on existing documents, trusted private-sector identity providers and open standards.
The Problem
Governments have repeatedly explored forms of digital identity without a clear public mandate. While many proposals are presented as voluntary, there is concern that they could gradually become expected for accessing public and private services.
Many countries operate successful electronic identity systems. However, the United Kingdom has a different legal and constitutional tradition.
In Britain:
- Citizens are not generally required to carry identification.
- There is no general legal obligation to identify yourself simply because a public authority requests it.
- Identity is only required for specific legal or commercial purposes, such as banking, employment, travel or purchasing age-restricted products.
We believe this is an important feature of British civic life that should be protected.
Our Principles
We believe:
- People should not be expected to prove who they are in everyday life.
- Government should avoid creating new identity systems where existing trusted solutions already exist.
- Privacy should be the default.
- Identity should only be requested where there is a genuine legal or commercial need.
- Government should regulate identity standards rather than operate identity platforms.
Policy Proposals
1. No Government Digital Identity System
Policy Seed would not create or support a universal government-operated digital identity system.
Digital identity should not become a prerequisite for participating in everyday life.
Government has an important role in setting standards, ensuring interoperability and protecting privacy, but it should not become the central identity provider for every citizen.
2. Open Industry Standards for Age Verification
Where age verification is legally required, providers operating in the UK should use open, privacy-preserving standards rather than developing proprietary systems.
We support the use of open standards such as AgeKey where they enable users to prove only the information required—for example whether someone is over or under a particular age threshold—without revealing unnecessary personal information.
3. Banks as Trusted Identity Providers
Banks already undertake robust identity verification through anti-money laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
Rather than requiring government to build a new identity infrastructure, accredited banks and other regulated organisations should be able to provide privacy-preserving age and identity verification where appropriate.
For younger users, child bank accounts could provide trusted confirmation of broad age categories where legally required, without revealing unnecessary personal information.
Government should establish standards and oversight while allowing competition between accredited providers.
4. Free Passports at Age 16
Every UK citizen should be entitled to one free passport upon reaching the age of 16.
This would:
- provide every young adult with a trusted government-issued identity document;
- support employment, education and financial independence;
- encourage international travel and cultural exchange; and
- remove the need to create an entirely new identity document.
If a passport has already been issued shortly before age 16, the policy should avoid unnecessary duplication.
5. Support Digital Wallets—Not Government Wallets
Digital wallets can provide a convenient way to store identity documents securely on personal devices.
However, these should remain entirely optional.
Government should not develop or control a national digital wallet. Instead, the private sector should continue to innovate in this space while meeting clear security, privacy and interoperability standards.
Citizens should always be free to continue using physical documents if they choose.
Why This Approach?
This policy builds on systems that already exist instead of creating new ones.
Rather than investing significant public money in a new national identity platform, government should:
- protect citizens’ privacy;
- provide trusted physical identity documents where appropriate;
- regulate security and interoperability; and
- allow accredited private-sector providers to deliver digital identity services in a competitive market.
Britain has never required people to carry identification as part of everyday life. We believe that tradition should continue.
Digital technology should expand people’s choices—not increase the amount of information they are expected to share with government or private organisations.