National ID Cards

Secondary
Consultation

You have until 13 February 2009 to get your comments in on

ID cards. The government has already agreed that ID cards
will go ahead, however there are still questions you can ask
them!

Read on...

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What does the National ID
Card scheme involve?
• There will be a national database holding all the
information people give them.
• There will be ID cards in some form.
• If you change your details (for example your address
or name) you have to let them know, and you could
be fined if you don’t.
• Mostly, you have to agree to let someone get your
details from the database (for example your
employer).
• However, whether you agee or not, the Police and
other Intelligence services can get your details from
the database.
• There will be a National Identity Card Commissioner
who you can complain to, and who is responsible for
keeping your details safe.
• It will be illegal to have fake ID, or tamper with the
database. It is perfectly legal not to apply for an ID
card.
• They will cost you money (up to £30 for the first card).

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What info will go on the card?

Yes No
Name Medical record

Address Criminal record

Date of birth Pension record

Place of birth Benefits record

Nationality Tax record

Gender

Signature

Photo

Fingerprints (x2)

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Any questions?
If you come up with any questions when you’re reading
about these proposals, write them down, think about what
you would like to happen instead, and send the results to:

Robin Woodland
Identity Cards Act
Secondary Legislation Consultation
Home Office
Identity and Passport Service
Allington Towers
19 Allington Street
London
SW1E 5EB

Or email them to identitycards@ips.gsi.gov.uk with the

words Consultation response in the title.

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How to apply for an ID card
The government is proposing that the basic application
process will be:

• One form to fill in

• Identity and Passport offices around the country to
take applications and fingerprints.

They are also saying that if you apply for certain things such
as Basic Disclosure/Criminal Conviction certificates,
immigration documents or passports you will have to apply
for an ID Card to get them.

What info will the form ask

you for?
The application form will ask you for:

• your personal details

• details of a referee
• passport number or details of your parent’s
nationalities
• various documents
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 Personal Details
• Name
Including any other names
you have been officially
known as.
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
Town and country.
• Nationality
Including any previous
nationalities.
• Gender
If you were previously a
different gender, you may
have to fill out two forms.
• National Insurance Number
• Telephone number
Contact telephone number.
• Signature
• Photo
Head and shoulder shot.
• Address
Including any other addresses
you’d like to have on the
register, and any addresses in
the last 5 years.
• The Address you give has to
pass this test:
• It has to be in the UK
• And has to be the place you
stay in the most when you’re
in the UK
Referee
• Name of your referee
• How long the referee has known
you
• Where they live
• When they were born
• Their job
• A contact telephone number for
them
Passport number or
other details
• If you have a valid UK passport, you
will be asked for your passport
number, date of issue, and place of
issue.
• If not, you will be asked for your
parents' details, including their
names, date of birth, home
address, and more.
Documents
• If you have a valid UK passport you
will be asked to post it with the
application.
• If not, you will need your birth or
adoption certificate.
• If you were born or adopted after
1983 you will need your parent’s
birth or naturalisation certificates.
• If you are transgendered you will
need your gender dysphoria
diagnosis or a gender recognition6
certificate.
What will the card look like?

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Getting a replacement card
If you need a replacement card as yours has been lost or stolen, you
will need to fill in some of the same details again, to confirm your
identity. You will also need to go to an Identity and Passport office to
have your fingerprints checked.

Questions?
The government would especially like to know:

1) Do you have any comments on the application

process and the checks we carry out?
2) Do you think that the way we’ve defined Address is
right:
a. It has to be in the UK
b. And has to be the place you stay in the most
when you’re in the UK
3) What do you think of the information that will be
held on the card, and how long should it be valid for?

See Page 3 for how to respond.

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How to keep the ID card
database up-to-date
You will need to let the government know within 3 months if some of your
details change. If you don’t, you could be fined. When you have a change of:

•When you are moving in the UK

•or moving out of the UK
•Holidays and temporary changes of address
Address don’t count, and if you move address while
you are living abroad you don’t have to
inform anyone, unless you are flight
personnel
•For example, if you start using an alias or
Name change your name with your gender
•For example if you get British citizenship, or
Nationality apply for dual nationality
•Depending on the reasons for changing your
Gender gender, you may have to fill out more than
one form
•If your signature changes and you are
keeping it that way.
Signature •Temporary changes because of a broken
wrist don’t count
•If your face changes so you no longer look
like your photo.
Appearance •Hair colour and other minor changes don’t
count
•If your fingerprints change a lot and will stay
Fingerprints that way
Let the Identity and Passport service know calling them or make an
appointment at your local office to change your details.
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What to do if your card is lost,
stolen or destroyed
You need to let the Identity and Passport service know within 1 month if you
have lost a card, someone has stolen or tampered with it, or if it has been
destroyed.

If you do not tell the Identity and Passport office about the changes, you may
get a formal warning, followed by a civil penalty notice. The basic penalty will
be £125.

Questions?
The government would especially like to know:

1) What do you think about how we’re asking you to tell us about
changes to your details?
2) If you have moved abroad, are the arrangements all right?
3) What would be the best way to let “proxies”, for example carers
for people with mental or physical difficulties, inform the
government of changes, theft or loss of cards?
4) What would be the best way of telling people which changes
they need to tell us about?
5) What do you think about the penalties for not telling us about
changes?

See Page 3 for how to respond.

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Who has access to my data?
The following organisations all have automatic access to the data held on the
National ID Card Database:

• Police
• Intelligence Services
• Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
• Government departments:
o Home office
o Foreign and Commonwealth office
o Department of Work and Pensions
o Department of Transport
o Ministry of Justice

They will all need make sure that your data is secure, and if they do not, they
are not allowed to access the register without reviewing their security
policies and getting approval from the Secretary of State.

Other organisations

Any other organisation must ask you first, and you have to agree that they
can see your data.

If you agree to a company seeing your data, that agreement is a one off –
they can only request to see your data once. If they want to see it again, they
have to ask you again.

The company needs to give these details when it requests information:

• Company / Trading name

• Registration number

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 • Address / Trading address
• Names of directors, owners and the company secretary
• What they do

Even if you agree to let a company see your data, if they want to get the
information, the company will need approval from the Secretary of State.

Companies can get approval from the Secretary of State by going through an
accreditation process, which includes a review of any information security
measures you have.

Questions?
The Government would especially like to know:

1) What would be the best way to give consent, and how would
you like to let us know if you don’t want a company to see your
data any more?
2) Which companies would benefit most from being able to
access data on the National ID Card database? We have
suggested charities, non-profit organisations, government
bodies, banks and financial services – are there any more? What
information should they give us to prove they are safe to access
your details?
3) If a company has requested your details, would you like to be
informed in writing?
4) If a company or government organisation fails to keep your data
safe, what powers should the Secretary of State have to stop
them accessing your data, and what would they need to do to
be able to access it again?
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See Page 3 for how to respond.
Who will be allowed to apply
for ID cards and when?
The government is rolling out ID cards in stages.

Foreign Airport Young Everyone

Nationals Workers People else
(2008) (2009) (2010) (2012)

Foreign Nationals

The first ID cards will be issued to people applying to remain in the UK as a

student, or because they are married to a British citizen.

Airport workers

From Autumn 2009, airport workers who currently need an airside pass will
have to have an ID Card. When they apply for a Basic Disclosure/Criminal
Conviction certificate airport workers will have to apply for an ID card at the
same time.
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Young people

From 2010, young people turning 16 will have the opportunity to apply for an
ID Card.

Everyone else

This will eventually lead to everyone being able to apply for an ID Card by
2012.

Questions?
The Government would especially like to know if you have any
comments on this roll out schedule.

See Page 3 for how to respond.

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How much will the ID Card
cost me?
If you want to sign up for an ID card during the 2009/10 rollout period,
it is likely to cost £30, unless you are an airside worker in which case
you will not be charged.

The costs will change as the program is rolled out.

Questions?
The Government would especially like to know your opinions
on the £30 charge.

See Page 3 for how to respond.

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