Say NO to Tyranny!
Video Overview
How to say no to digital ID. Digital ID being forced down your throat? You actually have options. Use them.
Letter for the UK
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Postcode]
[Email Address / Phone Number]
[Date]
HM Revenue & Customs
[Relevant Department or Office, if known]
[HMRC Address]
Dear Sir / Madam,
Re: Refusal of Digital ID / Request for Alternative Means of Tax Compliance
I write in relation to your recent offer/request that I use a government-backed digital identity document (“digital ID”) for the purposes of interacting with HMRC (for example, to access tax services, pay taxes, or otherwise fulfil my tax obligations).
Having considered the proposal, I do not wish to adopt the digital ID at this time. I understand that this digital ID scheme is voluntary in many cases. The Government’s own explainer states that “alternative routes to obtain the digital ID … will be available … for those who cannot use a smart phone, or need extra assistance.”
I respectfully request the following:
1. Confirmation of Alternative Remedies / Pathways
Please confirm what alternative means exist (now or planned) for me to comply with my tax obligations without using a digital ID. In particular:
a. Methods of identity verification (e.g., by post, telephone, face-to-face) that HMRC will accept.
b. How I will submit necessary tax returns, notices, or payments if I decline the digital ID.
2. Clarification of Legal and Practical Effects
Please clarify whether there are any legal or administrative consequences (such as inability to pay taxes, loss of access, sanction, or penalty) if I choose not to use the digital ID. Specifically:
a. Am I still legally required to pay my tax in full and on time, even if I refuse the digital ID?
b. Are there any obligations imposed on me that would force me to use the digital ID, or is I decline, will I be “forced” into a worse situation?
c. What protections does HMRC provide to ensure I am not disadvantaged by declining the digital ID, consistent with alternative provisions?
3. Support for Non-Digital Access
Given that not all taxpayers may wish to or be able to use a digital ID, I also ask that HMRC ensures that non-digital alternatives remain robust (paper, telephone, face-to-face where required) for accessing my tax account, receiving correspondence, and fulfilling any reporting or payment obligations.
Legal / Policy Basis
To support my request, I refer to the following relevant material:
In the Government consultation on digital identity and attributes, it was explicitly stated that “there should be alternative methods for someone to prove their identity” and that a service should not be denied solely on the basis of a digital check.
In HMRC’s “Simplifying and modernising” review, the government acknowledged that “non-digital alternatives for those who are digitally excluded” will remain.
According to a Parliamentary answer, where users cannot verify their identity sufficiently online, HMRC provides non-digital channels, such as by telephone or in writing.
These references suggest that HMRC recognises the need for alternative routes, and I trust that HMRC will honour this in my case.
I respectfully ask that you respond in writing (by post or email) to confirm the alternative routes available, and to explain how I can continue to fulfil my tax obligations notwithstanding my choice not to use a digital ID. I wish to remain fully compliant with tax law, but without being compelled into a digital identity scheme I do not accept.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
