A social media post by the prime minister that suggested the use of digital ID in home buying would ‘be done in seconds and wipe out the costs’ was misleading, a residential property partner claims.
In the post on social media site X, the prime minister wrote:
“I recently spoke with someone buying a house with her partner. She told me that she had to pay just to verify who she was. With digital ID that could be done in seconds and wipe out the costs. Digital ID will save you time and money.”
But Minisha Bhula, partner and head of Blandy & Blandy’s residential property team, said Sir Starmer’s comment is misleading, risks oversimplifying matters and there is far more to consider throughout the conveyancing process beyond identify verification.
‘For example, on a property purchase, as part of client due diligence and by virtue of the relevant money laundering regulations, legal professionals are required to not only establish the identity of their clients but to investigate the source of the purchase funds’, she pointed out.
“Depending on whether funds come from a mortgage, the sale of another property, personal savings, or inheritance, the process involves gathering and assessing supporting documents, which might include bank statements, payslips, probate records, etc.
“Conveyancing is a layered and complicated process that exists to preserve the integrity of the legal profession and safeguards the property market against the very real threat of money laundering.”
Olly Thornton-Berry is co-founder and CEO of Thirdfort, which provides secure identity verification and AML checks. ‘A government-backed digital ID could make it quicker and cheaper for individuals to prove their identity, which is a positive development’, he acknowledged. But he agreed that ‘identity verification is only one part of the client due diligence process that legal and property professionals must complete’.
He added:
“Firms are still required to verify clients’ source of funds, assess risk, and comply with anti–money laundering obligations on every transaction.”
And, as Bhula explained, even with digital ID verification, compliance is a time-consuming matter that incurs costs.
‘Therefore, in some cases, a firm may charge a separate fee to cover the cost of establishing the identity of the client and the source of their funds’, she added.
“While the digital ID scheme might potentially reduce the time spent on identify verification, it won’t negate the wider requirement for law firms to carry out extensive client and matter due diligence on every file that comes across their desks.”
One Response
The Prime Minister’s glib remarks on digital ID in homebuying reveal a dangerous lack of understanding of conveyancing by him and civil servants.
When the Prime Minister claimed that digital ID would “be done in seconds and wipe out the costs” of homebuying, he wasn’t simplifying — he was sadly misleading the public. As Today’s Conveyancer reported, experienced solicitors have warned that such comments trivialise the complex, multi‑layered process of conveyancing, where identity verification is only one small part.
This isn’t just a slip of the tongue. It reflects a deeper problem: a government that treats reform of the homebuying process as a PR exercise rather than a serious policy challenge.
Bryan Glick, writing in Computer Weekly, has already highlighted the “mess” the government has made of its digital ID project — a scheme plagued by poor communication, lack of clarity, and industry distrust.
And let’s not ignore the global context. In China, digital identity systems have been weaponised as tools of surveillance, enabling the state to monitor and control citizens’ lives.
Political messaging like the above undermines trust in homebuying reforms that require careful collaboration with legal practitioners. Global risks are real because without robust safeguards, digital ID can slide from efficiency into surveillance.
Homebuying reform deserves honesty, not empty slogans. Conveyancers know the terrain; the Prime Minister clearly does not. Until government stops treating digital ID as a political soundbite and starts engaging with the profession’s expertise, confidence in reform will continue to erode.
Members of the Conveyancing Task Force have been asked to discuss with the MHCLG the government’s homebuying reforms. Digital ID is one of several topics which will feature in such a discussion.