lustyd
Well-Known Member
You can be placed under arrest for a crime. Officers can’t detain you out of curiosity of your name as in other places. We have zero need to carry ID.
Dual citizens/ETA enforcement from 24 February 2026
- Thread starter syvictoria
- Start date
st599
Well-Known Member
That hasn't been true in the UK for a while. It's an arrestable offence to not give the officer your name, address and date of birth under anti-social laws, e.g. if they think you're a protestor.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Only if they are detaining you on suspicion of a crime, in which case they must explain the reason for detention.
Graham376
Well-Known Member
IIRC, if driving a vehicle and an offence has been committed, they can detain until drivers identity has been confirmed.
st599
Well-Known Member
If you're detained on suspicion of a crime, you don't have to give your name and address. It's up to the police to work that out.
The change in 2002 was that the law changed around anti-social behaviour - including protesting. If you're at a protest and the police believe that you're being anti-social, for example holding a placard that someone may find offensive, then you are legally required to give your name and address. It's an arrestable offence not to.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
But then they’re effectively detaining you for a crime so what I said still stands. They would need to detail their evidence to justify those actions otherwise they are committing a crime themselves. Thankfully they know this, hence we don’t need to carry or show ID in the UK.