UK Compulsory National Identity Cards (ID Cards)

Justifications

To Prevent Benefit Fraud

The Government argues that compulsory National ID Cards will cut benefit fraud - this is a very misleading claim. It is true that there is a huge amount of benefit fraud. It is false to suggest the ID Cards will wipe this out.

Most benefit fraud is not identity fraud. Instead it comes from people claiming benefit whilst actually working or otherwise lying about their circumstances. Identity Cards will do nothing to prevent this.

Most illegal immigrants currently work at the fringes of legality, where pay is in cash, no questions asked. Such employers are unlikely to start demanding to see Identity Cards. If they do then many illegal immigrants will have no choice but to turn to crime to survive. Thus compulsory National Identity Cards could actually raise the crime rate.

As for the benefit "scroungers", most of these gain their benefit quite legally. You might not like the fact that they receive it, that's a different issue. Identity Cards will not force people to work.