Policy Paper from the Home
Office, Disclosure and Barring Service, and Department for
Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
The Home Office and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) are
working with DCMS as it develops proposals for new legislation to
establish a UK Digital Identity and
Attributes Trust Framework. This framework will set out the
rules and standards for organisations to follow in order to carry
out secure, trustworthy, and consistent digital identity checks.
The trust framework was initially launched in February 2021 as an
early prototype (alpha). It has since undergone two rounds of
public consultation, to be thoroughly tested with services,
industries, organisations and released to potential users. The
framework continues to be developed and the next stage (beta
version) will begin in early 2022, ahead of being formalised in
legislation.
Following the positive feedback received about the ability to
conduct right to work and right to rent checks remotely during
the COVID-19 pandemic, the Home Office initiated a review of the
availability of specialist technology to support a system of
digital checks in the future.
This review has now concluded, and this update sets out the key
outcomes.
The Home Office recognises the benefits the adjusted checking
process has brought and are mindful of the shift towards
increased hybrid and remote working models.
As a result, the Home Office will enable employers and landlords
to use certified Identification Document Validation Technology
(IDVT) service providers to carry out digital identity checks on
their behalf for many who are not in scope to use the Home Office
online services, including British and Irish citizens. The
relevant changes to legislation will take effect from 6 April
2022.
This development will align with DBS’ proposal to enable digital
identity checking within their pre-employment checking process,
through the introduction of its Identity Trust Scheme.
For employers, the introduction of digital identity checking into
the Schemes will mean they can assure prospective employees’
identities, using consistent and more secure methods, reducing
risk and allowing them to recruit in a safer way.
Making these changes to the Schemes will achieve two things - it
will:
-
Allow those in scope to verify their identity remotely, prove
their eligibility to work or rent and apply for DBS checks.
Using IDVT allows people to upload images of their personal
documents, instead of presenting physical documents to a
prospective employer – reducing time and mitigating risk.
-
Allow private sector IDVT service providers to become
independently certified by UK Accreditation Service
(UKAS) accredited assessors to ensure the technology
meets the Government
Standards and the applicant’s data is protected.
Enabling the use of IDVT for right to work, right to rent and DBS
checks will help to support long-term post pandemic working
practices, accelerate the recruitment and onboarding process,
improve employee mobility and enhance the security and integrity
of the checks. The technology utilised across the identity
process removes human error in terms of identifying fraudulent
documents or inaccuracies and will support the Home Office, DBS
and DCMS in driving improvements through their delivery partners.
In January 2022, the UK Digital Identity and
Attributes Trust Framework will open for providers to
begin the certification process. IDVT service providers will need
to become certified against the trust framework rules, alongside
any requirements specific to the particular Schemes. The timing
and alignment of the Right to Work, Right to Rent, and DBS Scheme
changes ensures providers can undertake a single certification
for these checks from the outset.
This will provide a secure underpinning of robust rules for
providers to meet, test the real-world implementation of the
trust framework during the beta phase of testing, and ensure
providers are on track to meet the rules of the future multi-use
case state for digital identity solutions.
Further details on how organisations become certified will be
available in early January 2022.
In the meantime, checks continue to be necessary in line with
current guidance. Employers and landlords must continue to check
the prescribed documents as set out in an employer’s guide to
right to work checks, published at: Right to work checks: an
employer’s guide or the landlord’s guide to right to
rent checks, published at: Landlord’s guide to right
to rent checks.
Alternatively, where applicable, employers and landlords can use
the Home Office online services via Prove your right to work to an
employer or Prove your right to rent in
England which provides right to work and right to rent
information in real time direct from Home Office systems.
Further information on the temporary adjusted checks can be found
on GOV.UK at
You can sign up to
receive updates about the Right to Work
Scheme or sign up to
receive updates about the Right to Rent Scheme.
Finally, queries about the Right to Work or Right to Rent Schemes
can be sent to RightoRentandRighttoWork@homeoffice.gov.uk
