What is the Digital ID check, and why must I complete one?

All UK employers are mandated by the government to conduct an Identity/Right-to-work check for new employees. As your employer, SmartWork is legally obligated to perform these checks. The Home Office has provided guidelines for these checks, including recent updates for situations where a remote check is necessary due to the inability to conduct an ‘in-person’ verification of an individual’s documents. For further details on IDVT, please refer to the Government Guidance.

We teamed up with TrustID, which is a Government-approved identity service provider (IDSP) for IDVT (Identification Document Validation Technology). 

What is the ID-checking process?

Upon completing your registration with SmartWork, an email will be sent to you via TrustID. This email will contain a unique link that you need to click on in order to proceed with your ID check.

To successfully complete this check, you will need to use a mobile phone that has both a front and rear-facing camera. TrustID will guide you through the following steps on your device:

Step 1

Open the email on your mobile phone and click on the provided link. This will open the ID check in your browser and guide you through a series of initial questions.

Step 2

If you possess a UK or Irish passport, please select ‘yes’ when prompted and utilize your rear-facing camera to capture a clear photograph of the entire photo ID page within your passport. Ensure all information, including any numbers at the top and bottom, is visible in the image. Additionally, ensure that the photo is clear, without any blurriness or glare.

Step 3

If you do not have a UK or Irish passport, select ‘no’ when prompted instead. TrustID will then request you to enter a share code to verify your online right-to-work status using the government’s share code system. If you need to generate a new share code, you can do so directly on the Home Office website.

A share code is usually valid for 90 days and is made of 9 alphanumeric characters – for Right to Work checks; it will begin with a W. SmartWork will require this code to start the onboarding process.

Employers can access the Home Office online checking service and use the share code, along with an applicant’s date of birth, to check details of their Right to Work in the UK, including any restrictions, for example, on the hours an applicant can work or the type of work they can do.

Step 4

You will now be prompted to take a ‘selfie’ to confirm your identity in relation to your documents. This will involve taking a photo using your front-facing camera. Please ensure that you are in a well-lit area and capture a clear photo of your face.

Step 5

TrustID will then ask you to enter your address. Input your postcode and select your specific address from the provided drop-down list. If your address does not appear, try including or excluding any spaces in your postcode (e.g., try changing BS1 2NT to BS12NT).

Step 6

Congratulations! You have completed the process.

TrustID will now proceed to verify the information provided through their verification systems. SmartWork will be notified of the results, typically within 1 hour. We will inform you if everything has been successfully verified or if any further action is required.