UK locked into third-party age checks as MPs claim VPNs on expenses

11 August 2025

Paul Francis

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The UK’s new Online Safety Act has introduced sweeping age verification rules for a wide range of digital services. From social media platforms to music streaming apps, users now face requests to prove their age through ID uploads, facial scans or other forms of verification.

The majority of these checks are being handled by specialist third-party companies, often based overseas. They act as intermediaries, confirming whether a user is old enough to access certain content. In many cases, they do not share the full ID with the platform, instead sending back a simple “pass” or “fail”.

How the system works

Under the new law, platforms must ensure that children cannot access content deemed harmful. That includes explicit music lyrics, violent games, pornography, gambling, and online discussions of subjects such as eating disorders or suicide.

To meet this “highly effective” requirement, most companies have opted not to build their own systems. Instead they have signed contracts with external providers such as Yoti, Persona and Kids Web Services. These services use techniques like:

Scanning an official document such as a passport or driving licence.
Estimating a user’s age through a selfie analysed by AI.
Linking to government databases or credit card checks.

Some verification companies promise to delete personal data within days. Others may retain information for months or years, raising concerns among privacy advocates. Critics point out that once this infrastructure is in place, it could, in theory, be used for purposes beyond child safety.

MPs’ VPN expenses draw attention

While the public adjusts to this new reality, attention has turned to how some politicians manage their own online access.

A POLITICO review of parliamentary expenses found that several MPs, including Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, claimed subscriptions for virtual private networks (VPNs). Reynolds expensed a two-year NordVPN subscription in April 2024. Other MPs, such as Labour’s Sarah Champion and Alex Sobel, and Conservative MPs Gareth Davies and Chris Heaton-Harris, have also claimed for VPN services.

VPNs encrypt internet traffic and can hide a user’s location, making them harder to track. They are often used by businesses and journalists to protect sensitive information. However, they can also bypass regional restrictions, including those imposed by age-verification systems.

The revelation has sparked criticism online, with some pointing out the apparent contradiction between MPs approving legislation that pushes the public into using third-party age checks while themselves claiming tools that can avoid such checks.

What it means for ordinary users

For people who rarely think about online privacy, the combination of mandatory age verification and rising VPN usage can seem confusing. In practical terms, the new rules could mean:

You may need to upload official documents or scan your face to access websites you have used freely for years.
Your personal data may be handled by a company you have never heard of and which may be outside the UK.
Content you regard as harmless could still be blocked unless you verify your age.
Some smaller websites may block UK visitors altogether rather than invest in compliance systems.

Meanwhile, VPNs remain legal in the UK, but their usage is being monitored more closely. Providers have reported sharp rises in new subscriptions since the age verification rules came into effect. Privacy campaigners warn that this creates a two-tier internet where tech-savvy or wealthier users can pay for workarounds while others cannot.

The bigger picture

Supporters of the law, including many parents’ groups, argue that the measures are long overdue to protect children in an increasingly digital world. The government insists that the age checks are proportionate and that privacy is being respected.

Opponents counter that the approach is heavy-handed, ineffective against determined users, and potentially damaging to free expression. They also highlight that the involvement of overseas verification companies gives the UK little control over how data is stored or processed.

As the Online Safety Act’s child safety duties become fully enforceable, the divide between public compliance and private circumvention may continue to grow. The irony that some MPs are expensing VPNs while the public is told to trust age-checking systems has not been lost on critics.

For the average person, the choice is stark. Accept a new layer of ID checks to keep using familiar online services, or follow the lead of some elected representatives and invest in a VPN — with all the technical know-how and potential legal scrutiny that entails.

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The Vanishing Pub: How Young People Are Being Priced Out of Socialising and Why 50 Pubs a Month Are Closing

Connor Banks
Oct 2, 2024
4 min read

In the first half of 2024, an alarming trend unfolded in England and Wales: over 50 pubs closed every month. Once the core social hubs of their communities, these establishments are now facing an existential crisis. While various factors contribute to their downfall, one of the most critical and overlooked is the inability of young people to afford the once-cherished activity of going to the pub. What was once a staple of British social life is becoming increasingly out of reach for the younger generation, as the cost of living skyrockets, and wages fail to keep pace.

The Price of a Pub Pint: A Stark Reality

To understand this crisis, we need only look at the humble pint of lager—a bellwether for the affordability of social life. In 2024, the average pint costs £4.78, a steep rise from £3.32 in 2014. Adjusted for inflation, the 2014 price should be about £4.30 today, meaning the cost of a pint has risen well above inflation, putting an even greater strain on consumers. But the story goes deeper when we compare the cost of a pint to wages.

In 1994, when a pint cost just £1.30, it took up about 18.6% of the average hourly wage. By 2004, this had crept up to 19.4%, but it remained manageable. Today, that figure has ballooned to 26.6%, meaning that, on average, over a quarter of an hour’s work is required just to enjoy a single drink. For young people earning near minimum wage, the situation is even more dire.

Socialising: A Luxury, Not a Right

For previous generations, socialising at the pub was a given—a place to catch up with friends, watch sports, or meet new people. It wasn’t just a drink; it was a cultural institution that fostered community. Today, young people are finding themselves priced out of this experience. With rent, food, and energy prices eating up their disposable income, something as simple as a night at the pub has become a rare indulgence.

As pubs struggle to attract younger patrons, their revenue falls, creating a vicious cycle of dwindling business and eventual closure. The 50-pub-per-month statistic isn't just about pubs closing; it represents a societal shift where traditional forms of socialising are no longer affordable for large portions of the population.

Coffee Shops and Changing Social Habits

This shift is already evident in where young people choose to meet. Coffee shops, with their relatively lower costs, are rapidly becoming the new social hubs. A coffee date is significantly cheaper than a night out at the pub, making it a more viable option for those with tight budgets. In fact, a report by Allegra World Coffee Portal showed that coffee shop visits have increased by 5% annually in the last decade, while traditional pub and bar visits have stagnated or declined.

More tellingly, coffee shops are replacing pubs and restaurants as go-to locations for first dates. What was once a meal out, drinks at a bar, or even a combination of the two, has been replaced by a more affordable flat white or cappuccino. According to a 2023 YouGov survey, 46% of young adults now prefer a coffee shop for a first date, compared to just 22% who choose the pub—a stark reversal from previous decades.

This change in behaviour highlights how rising costs have redefined social norms. Where a first date might once have involved dinner and drinks, today it often involves a quick, budget-friendly meet-up in a café. This trend not only affects young people but also has a ripple effect on the wider hospitality industry, which relies on consistent, high-volume businesses to survive.

The Systemic Issue: Young People Are Being Priced Out of Life

The closure of 50 pubs a month is a symptom of a larger systemic issue: young people are being priced out of experiences that previous generations took for granted. It’s not just about a pint at the pub—it’s about the ability to enjoy life without the constant worry of financial strain. Incomes have not kept pace with inflation, housing costs are through the roof, and now, even socialising—something so integral to mental health and community—is becoming a luxury.

In 1994, a night out didn’t break the bank. Even in 2004, going to the pub was a relatively affordable activity. But in 2024, the economic landscape has shifted dramatically, and with it, the ability of young people to participate in activities that are vital to fostering community and connection.

The Broader Impact: The Erosion of Social Life

As pubs close and young people opt for cheaper alternatives, the very fabric of the community is at risk. Pubs have long been a place where people from all walks of life can come together, and their decline signals more than just a business failure—it signals a loss of social cohesion. In the past, the pub was where people met their neighbours, built friendships, and even discussed local politics. With their demise, we risk losing a key part of British culture.

At the same time, the rapid rise of coffee shops—while a testament to human adaptability—can’t fully replace the role pubs once played. Coffee shops are often more transient spaces, focused on short meetings rather than long, unhurried evenings of conversation. The very nature of how we socialise is changing, and it’s not necessarily for the better.

The closure of 50 pubs a month is a wake-up call. It’s not just about the loss of a place to drink; it’s about the changing landscape of social life in Britain. Young people are being priced out of the activities that previous generations took for granted, and this is having a profound impact on both individual well-being and community cohesion.

If the trend continues, we could see a future where social life is defined by affordability rather than choice, where the quintessential British pub is lost to time and becomes something only for the rich or for tourists. To reverse this trend, we need systemic change that addresses the root causes of financial insecurity and makes socialising accessible once again. Otherwise, the demise of the pub may just be the beginning of a larger cultural decline.