The government is to unveil a rethink of its identity scheme - including allowing people to use new "biometric" passports as ID cards.
The introduction of the new passports will be delayed from 2010 to 2012, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will say.
And instead of being made to get identity cards at the same time, applicants will be able to use their passports to prove who they are.
Critics accused Ms Smith of trying to introduce ID cards by stealth.
And the home secretary stressed the new timetable she is announcing in a speech later did not mean the scheme had been shelved.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she wanted to "speed up" up the introduction of the cards by making them compulsory for some groups at an earlier stage.
'Public acceptance'
Non-EU nationals will be issued with compulsory ID cards this year, airport baggage handlers and people in other sensitive security roles will get them from 2009, with students to get them from 2010.
The government had previously planned to take biometrics - including all 10 fingerprints - of everyone applying for a new passport from 2008.
The proposal had been that from January 2010 everyone getting, or renewing, a passport would have to get an identity card in addition to a passport.
And ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair had said that a major plank of Labour's next election manifesto would be a bill to make it compulsory for everyone, irrespective of whether they get a passport or not, to get an ID card.
But those timetables have slipped and Ms Smith says most people will not have to get an identity card and could use their biometric passport instead to prove who they are.
"While there are big advantages to making ID cards as widespread as possible, we need to be clear there is public acceptance," she told Today.
"We need to be clear that the technology is there and, of course, Parliament would have the final decision as to whether or not, and when, entry on the identity register became compulsory."
Ms Smith denied claims the new timetable would delay the widespread introduction of ID cards for up to 20 years.
"What I am announcing today means that we will be able to achieve that widespread roll out in less time than 10 years,"
she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme
Civil liberties
In a speech later, Ms Smith will say that the first Britons to get the ID cards will be those working airside in Britain's airports, such as baggage handlers and cabin crew.
She will also announce a rollout to students - with the thinking being that they will be the most willing to accept them as they could help students do things such as open bank accounts.
The government's plans for ID cards, linking personal data to a fingerprint, have been plagued by technical delays, budget overspend and political controversy.
The government claims identity cards will boost security, tackle identity fraud and prevent illegal immigration.
Critics oppose the cards on cost, effectiveness and civil liberty grounds.
Government sources have suggested that the next groups to be offered ID cards will be those working in sensitive roles or locations.
'Dangerous core'
It is thought these could include people not just with security related jobs, but also those involved in caring for children.
But some security experts stress that those convicted of terrorism in recent years were never involved with identity fraud.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown hinted earlier this year that the scheme may not be compulsory for UK nationals but suggestions of a U-turn were denied.
Former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who introduced the initial identity card scheme, has previously said it would not work unless everyone had to have a card.
Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "The government may have removed the highly visible element but they have still left the dangerous core of this project.
"The National Identity Register, which will contain dozens of personal details of every adult in this country in one place, will be a severe threat to our security and a real target for criminals, hackers and terrorists.
"This is before you take the government's legendary inability to handle people's data securely into account."
Phil Booth, of campaign group NO2ID dismissed Ms Smith's latest announcement as a "marketing exercise" designed to introduce ID cards by stealth.
"Whether you volunteer or are coerced onto the ID database, there's no way back. You'll be monitored for life. That's why the government is targeting students and young people, to get them on before they realise what's happening," he said.
This article first appeared on the BBC Website|