Understanding Identity Check outcomes

An Identity Check is not a Digital ID check (which uses a photo ID document + facial biometric selfie match). An Identity Check is a database cross-reference check — no document or photo is required from the applicant.

· The candidate has lived at their current and previous address(es) for a reasonable period, and the electoral roll reflects this

· Credit reference data shows financial activity (loans, credit cards, utility accounts) consistently linked to the name, DOB, and address supplied

· Multiple independent sources (electoral roll + credit data + telephone record) agree with each other

· No match is found against the Halo (deceased) database

· Minor variations exist (e.g. maiden name vs married name) but are explainable and supported by linked records

Example: Sarah, 34, has lived at her current address for six years, is on the electoral roll there, and has a mortgage and two credit cards registered to that address. All three sources align → high-confidence pass.

Crucially — "not confirmed" does not automatically mean "fraud." It usually means there isn't enough independent data to draw a confident conclusion. Common causes:

· Thin file / limited footprint — young candidates, or anyone who has never held credit, a phone contract, or been on the electoral roll (common for people who've just turned 18, or who've always lived with parents who hold all the accounts)

· Recent arrival in the UK — someone who has recently relocated from overseas simply won't have UK electoral roll or credit history yet, regardless of how genuine they are

· Recent house move — records haven't caught up; electoral roll updates can lag behind an actual move by months

· Name changes not yet reflected — marriage, divorce, deed poll — the old name and new name haven't yet been linked across databases

· Opted out of the edited electoral roll — some people choose not to appear on the publicly available register, which reduces one data source even though they're perfectly genuine

· Data entry inconsistencies — a typo in DOB or a slightly different spelling of an address on the application form vs. what's held on record

· A genuine Halo match or discrepancy — this is the one that needs escalation, not a shrug

Example: Tom, 19, has just moved out of his parents' house into a shared flat, has no credit cards, and isn't yet on the electoral roll at his new address. His Identity Check comes back "not confirmed" — this is expected, not suspicious. The right next step is to request supplementary documentary evidence, not to assume dishonesty.