Government looking to increase ID card use

Despite reservations from the UK public and an array of consumer protection associations the UK government seems determined to push through its ID card program. This is a program which has ballooned in cost and been delayed and amended on a number of occasions but still appears to be central to the UK government's future policies. The government has asked the business arena to suggest more uses for the ID card which would eventually dictate that everybody in the UK would need one.

There have even been suggestions today that pensioners looking to use free bus travel would need to present their ID cards prior to travel. This is just the latest in a long line of schemes and incentives to try and increase the take-up of ID cards in the UK despite the fact that polls show many UK citizens are against ID cards in principle. Billions upon billions of pounds have already been spent on ID cards although there are still a number of security issues which need to be addressed before widespread take-up can be encouraged with confidence.

At some point in the very near future UK citizens will be unable to access many government and private sector services without ID cards even if there is no doubt they are entitled to these particular services.