Digital identity standards needed sooner rather than later

APSCo calls for the results of government review



With the planned return to in-person Right to Work checks once again nearing, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), has written to the Home Office calling for clarity around its current review of the digital identification process and proposed next steps.



Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo, commented:



“APSCo has welcomed the steps that have been taken since the pandemic began to enable digital Right to Work (RTW) checks and we were pleased to see our calls for a continued delay of the return to in-person checks were heard and taken on board earlier this year. However, the new deadline is now a mere five months away and we are concerned that there hasn’t yet been any concrete clarity around the review that the Home Office has been undertaking and what the next steps are.



“Digital checks are crucial in allowing for a more agile and robust process to get people into work. Given the on-going skills shortages and hiring challenges that the UK is facing, it is crucial that the positive strides made during the pandemic continue. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) is currently in the process of working with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to set the standards for which digital identity will be governed by.



“We look forward to hearing how the two Departments plan to work together on digital checks and whether the review will consider the new DBS digital identity project and how this may be best integrated with digital Right to Work checks going forward.”



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