The Government has announced that from 6 April 2022, digital identity document validation technology (IDVT) will be introduced to support employers and landlords with right to work, right to rent and pre-employment DBS checks.
The Home Office and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) are working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) as it develops a UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework. The Home Office has also conducted a review of the availability of specialist technology and its ability to support a system of digital right to work and right to rent checks in the future.
Initially launched in February 2021, the framework has undergone two rounds of public consultation, and will be rolled out in early 2022, ahead of relevant changes to legislation from April 2022.
This joint announcement sets out the key outcomes of the review, and how the Home Office is working with DCMS and DBS to enable employers, landlords and letting agents to use certified IDVT technology 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, from 6 April 2022. The Government says that this will enable checks to continue to be conducted remotely but with enhanced security.
The technology utilised across the identity process is also designed to remove human error in terms of identifying fraudulent documents or inaccuracies.
By enabling the use of IDVT for right to work, right to rent and DBS checks, the Government hopes 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”.