Stricter age-verification checks for all knife retailers
The Government has announced it will be introducing new rules on the online sale and delivery of knives as part of its mission to halve knife crime within a decade.
The new requirements will include a 2-step system for all retailers selling knives online, requiring customers to submit photo ID at point of sale and again on delivery. In addition, delivery companies will only be able to deliver a bladed article to the same person who purchased it.
Under the new measures, a person may need to submit a copy of a photo ID such as driving licence or passport, as well as proof of address such as a utility bill, before showing ID again when the package is delivered. This could also include a person submitting a current photo or video of themselves to an online retailer alongside their ID.
It will also be illegal to leave a package containing a bladed weapon on a doorstep when no one is in to receive it.
These measures are set to be included as part of the Crime and Policing Bill which is expected to be introduced to Parliament by spring, with more proposals still to come in the coming weeks.
