National Identity Scheme is an intelligent response to the growing problems of identity fraud in the UK 
Today, we live in a global society where people have the freedom to move, interact and consume like never before and with this has come risks, the most significant of all being impersonation. And it is this problem, the problem of truly knowing with confidence that someone is who they claim to be, that the National Identity Scheme (NIS) will go some way to mitigate for UK citizens, consumers and employees.
In effect, the UK Government is laying down the ‘National Grid’ for identity in the UK and because it is so way ahead of the required utility, people naturally question the wisdom in investing so significantly in something which law-abiding, hard-working citizens of the UK will not benefit from for some time.
For those who still doubt the benefits this scheme will have for the UK, I would say firstly that the National ID Card is irrelevant and takes disproportionate limelight against a wider debate - so let’s imagine it doesn’t exist.
What else will the National Identity Scheme provide?
It will provide certainty that visa applicants to this country are applying legitimately and not subverting the system. It will also ensure that legal asylum seekers are afforded the right protection, the right resources and that they have not landed elsewhere in Europe first. And finally, it will enable people seeking work from outside the UK to gain some legitimacy and for employees to have some certainty given lack of UK paperwork.
In summary, it is important to note that arguably 85% of the National Identity Scheme would remain in place even if the Identity Card Scheme was dropped, as many predict will happen if there is a change in Government.
That said, in a modern society, identity is at the core of most transactions or interactions - and the introduction of the National Identity Scheme is an intuitive response to an anticipated and growing threat.
The real challenge now is how the Government engages with industry, not for procurement of the National Identity Scheme, but to support the strategy and utility and to truly realise the benefits of this investment made on behalf of UK citizens.
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