The UK Government is expected to announce Brit a new, compulsory, Digital ID card for all citizens next month.

How long will it be before the system suffers a 'significant' data breach/leak?

Resolution criteria

• Clock starts at 00:00 UK time on the date the UK government declares nationwide “full launch” (general availability) of the digital ID scheme commonly referred to as “BritCard,” as evidenced by an official GOV.UK announcement or ministerial statement (pilots/betas/limited rollouts do not start the clock).
  
  If no full launch occurs by 23:59 UK time on 31 Dec 2026, “Card does not launch before end of 2026” resolves Yes.
  

• “Significant data breach” means a personal data breach under UK GDPR affecting data held by the BritCard platform or its contracted processors (including any GOV.UK One Login component used by the scheme) that is publicly confirmed by: (1) a UK government department or minister on GOV.UK, or (2) the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). If neither gives a breach/awareness date, use the date of the first such official confirmation. ICO definition: loss, alteration, or unauthorised disclosure/access to personal data. (ico.org.uk)
  

• What counts: compromise of BritCard holders’ personal data or credentials/tokens enabling access to such data via the scheme or its processors. What doesn’t: outages with no personal data compromise; breaches at independent relying parties (employers/landlords/banks) unless BritCard data itself was exposed; credential reuse unrelated to scheme security.
  

• Month bins (calendar-based, UK time):

  • “Within the calendar month of launch”: from launch date through the last day of that calendar month (inclusive).

  • “The first full month after launch”: the next calendar month.

  • “Month 2–3 after launch”: the second and third full calendar months after launch.

  • “Month 4–6”; “Month 7–12” likewise.

  • “No data breach within the first 12 months”: if no qualifying breach by 23:59 UK time on the last day of the 12th full calendar month after launch, this option resolves Yes.
    

• Sources used for resolution: relevant GOV.UK press releases/statements (e.g., Home Office, DSIT/OfDIA, No.10), and/or ICO publications or statements. (gov.uk)

• In the unlikely event of no statement being made by the government (this would be a major scandal) credible press reporting might be used in lieu of a statement.

Background

• UK media report the government is set to announce mandatory digital ID cards for adults, informally dubbed the “Brit Card,” with app-based credentials and likely integration with GOV.UK One Login. (reuters.com)

• DSIT’s Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) is already enabling certified digital identity services and One Login; the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 establishes a statutory footing for digital verification services. (gov.uk)

Considerations

• Branding may change; resolution tracks the official UK-wide government digital ID scheme for adults regardless of final name.

• Months are counted strictly by calendar (as in the prompt). All timing uses UK local time (GMT/BST).