what about idcards do you think they are a good thing would welcome your views on it

If they're compulsory they should be free. If they're voluntary I probably won't bother.

I agree with Jeangenie.

Val

I think they are a good thing - would decrease underage drinking, be a good source of ID etc. I dont have a problem with it personally.

Another potential black market for forgers ...

From what I understand initially they will be "voluntary" in that you don't have to have one but.... when you apply for a passport or driving licence you'll also have to have an id card and pay for it. 

So if you don't want to go abroad or drive a car they will be voluntary!

I don't have a major problem with them but I do object to having to pay for something that will be of no real benefit to me.

Now tha positive ID is required for so many things us not ahving compulsory ID actualy can make life difficult.

They usually want one form of photo ID from things like Passport, Driving License and the other from Utility bills etc.

Now I don't drive so no Driving License, and my Passport has run out.

Many renters have key meters and the Council Tax and Water is paid by the Landlord and they pay just Rent.

So I think we should have them, but they shoudl be free and automatic like the NI Card, maybe they should combine them?.

They could require them to be updated to include photo like they did with driving Licenses.

I've never understood why the UK don't have them -they are for your own security, after all. At home in Sweden mine was used for things like collecting money from the post office, collecting parcels so that the wrong person couldn't steal them, just stuff like that -and of course a good way to prove your age for various things as well, like bus passes for teenagers/pensioners, buying alcohol etc. When I came to the UK at one point my (ex) husband was unemployed, and somebody stole the post and went to the post office and collected his benefits as no ID was required. And I've lost count of the number of times I've been asked to produce proof of ID and been asked for something like a driver's licencse (I don't drive) or a utility bill (not in my name) or passport -surely it's far better to have a little plastic card in your purse than having to bring the passport with you.........

And if your purse is stolen, there goes your ID ...

I'd be thrilled if I was asked to prove I was old enough to buy alcohol! :D :D

LOL at JG. :) No but it is useful to stop at least some teenagers from buying. My step son is 16 but looks about 25!

If your ID card is stolen you get sent a new one -nobody else can use it unless they happen to be your identical twin. :)

>nobody else can use it unless they happen to be your identical twin

That's what they said about passports, and there's an enormous black market for stolen ones. With cards the stored information can be cloned from them too.

I think that is less likely though JG -after all, you cannot use an ID card to move to a different country......... which surely is what forged passports are all about. A higher level of crime. I don't think I've ever heard of forged cards at home.

>you cannot use an ID card to move to a different country

On mainland Europe the ID cards are used as a passport. I have relatives living in France and they don't use a passport to travel between mainland countries, just the ID.

Actually not QUITE. :) In the EU countries included in "Schengen" you SHOULD be able to travel without a passport, just ID. BUT some of the authorities have decided that the only acceptable ID is............a passport!! My mum is often moaning about that.

Yes you're right.... we use ID cards to go from one country to another. I don't need to have a passport with me....

I wouldn't mind having one, but I'm not going to pay for it.  THere's enough that we pay for in this country.

Has everyone heard what profit British Gas have made and they are putting up our bills?  It's disgusting.  What with petrol etc. I don't know how these companies can get away with it.

i am not relly sure at the moment i think in one way they might be a good thing but like you say why should we pay for them i think i heard them say some  thing like 100 pound but i could be wrong

I have mixed views on the subject. I have an ID card for work, and these have been fraudulently obtained by dubious charchters, often members of the Press trying to prove a point about security, so I doubt very much that ID cards are going to solve the problems their supporters believe they are. JMO

You guys don't have ID cards? I'm confused... how do you identify yourselves? Do you carry your passports with you at all times? We have to get an ID when we turn 18 and I can't imagine being without one. I need it every time I go to the bank.....

On the very rare occasions we need to identify ourselves a driving licence, utility bill (gas, electricity, council tax etc), rent book or, if all else fails, a passport, is fine. There's no legal requirement to prove who we are. That's why people are up in arms at the idea of having to pay £100 for a new card.

Do you think people with multiple identity syndrome will have to buy lots of cards? :D

But that's not completely true.... the last time I visited UK I had to show my ID almost every time I went to a club (I was actually flattered that I look so young and they never believed I was adult ;)). So I was really glad I had my ID card with me......

Ah, there are local schemes for youngsters to show they're 18+ for pubs and clubs, but there comes a stage where with the best will in the world, nobody's going to think you're underage! :o :D Once you reach that stage you don't need ID. Private clubs can have their own regulations, but for those of us who don't *do* clubbing, it's irrelevant! .