Why Britons Are Rejecting Digital ID — And Begging for Real, Cheap Power

When politicians push “digital everything,” they imagine a world of efficiency, seamless services, and data-driven convenience. But ask ordinary people on the street, and you’ll hear something very different: “I don’t want my life logged somewhere. I just want to keep my home warm and the lights on.”Across the UK today, two deep anxieties are converging: one about what the state might do with your data, and one about whether the lights stay on — or at least, whether you can afford to keep them on.

the face of what’s to come

The Digital ID That Terrifies the Public

1. Surveillance, not convenience

The proposed digital ID scheme is sold as simplifying Right to Work and public services. But many see it as a door to state overreach. Would your every interaction get logged? Could a future government expand it into a tool of social control? As critics warn, mandatory ID systems often “mission creep” beyond their original aims.

2. Security risks and systemic failure

Centralising identity data is a dream target for hackers. One breach could ripple across banking, health, welfare, travel. Also, systems fail — what happens if the digital ID servers go down, or authentication errors block large groups of people? Trust in government tech is brittle, and people know that real systems are never perfect.

3. Digital exclusion

Many older adults, rural residents, the homeless, or those on the wrong side of the digital divide don’t have reliable access to phones, the internet, or technical support. A mandatory digital ID penalises people who can’t easily use or access it.

4. Mass resistance

The signal is loud: petitions against digital ID have gathered 1.5 million+ signatures before launch. This isn’t fringe opposition — it’s a mainstream unease. Many feel that asking people to accept a digital ID in exchange for being allowed to “participate in society” is coercive.

The Energy Reality:

When You Can’t Pay, Nothing Gets Digitized

While many argue over digital rights, millions of households are scrambling just to stay warm:Over 6 million UK households are in fuel poverty — meaning they spend more than they can afford on energy to heat their homes. Around 30% of people say they struggle to afford energy bills—over 8 million households. Every rise in the Ofgem price cap adds pressure. The latest increase added £35 per year to average bills. For many, the fixed “standing charge” makes up a large share of the bill—costs you pay even if you don’t use much. In the face of such hardship, rhetoric about “digital identity schemes” rings hollow. People aren’t asking for more government data collection; they’re asking: “Will I be able to afford to live?”

The Moral & Political Fault Lines

Legitimacy comes from power, not permission:

If people feel forced, not chosen, a system loses moral authority. A digital ID wouldn’t be a tool of trust — it would be a tool imposed.Economic justice over “digital progress”: Technology should be the icing — not the cake. You can’t build digital policies when people are freezing in the dark.Energy is more foundational than identity: Without reliable, affordable energy, talk of “digitisation of services” is a luxury. Power is not optional — it is prerequisite.

What the UK Needs Instead:

A People-First Energy & Tech Strategy

1. Guarantee base reliability firstInvest heavily in stable, dispatchable power (nuclear, hydro, advanced thermal with carbon capture). Do not force society to dance to wind and sunshine when demand is high.

2. Decentralised, resilient microgridsEncourage local grid segments with renewable + storage, so outages cannot bring down whole regions.

3. An opt-in, transparent digital IDIf identity tech is to exist, it should be voluntary, audited, open source, and locally verifiable — not a monolithic system.

4. Massive energy demand reduction & house retrofitsInsulate, upgrade heating, shift demand loads. Lowering consumption is the simplest way to make bills affordable. 5. Fair billing modelsProtect vulnerable households from standing charges, demand spikes, and unexpected bills.

In Closing

The push for a digital ID — without first guaranteeing stable, affordable power — reveals misplaced priorities. When a person can’t reliably keep their home lit or their food cooked, who cares whether their identity is fully digitised?

Britons aren’t rejecting technology. They’re rejecting coercion. They’re demanding that before the government asks them to trust a digital identity, it must first prove it can deliver reliable, affordable power — the very basics of modern life.