From the article so looks like it.
But there will be the option of buying a card from a Paypoint for about £5 for 1 device which has a code on it that has to be entered into an age verification company site such as AgeID which is owned by Mindgeek who run a number of porn sites. This method at worst would mean showing photo ID I assume to the Paypoint worker who then says yes that proves to me you are an adult. I again assume they wont be taking a copy of the ID and passing it on, some Paypoints haven't that facility and some staff can barely string a sentence together let alone do anymore than either looking at you and saying yes you are over 18, or asking for photo ID to just look at.
With AgeID which is a verifcation company whose site I had a read of an email address will also apparently be needed, they wont see any of the ID you used in the shop, as in theory once the Paypoint sells you the card that's it. The next point is what sites will you be able to access once verified by the card and code in it, all 18+ sites or just those signed up with certain verification companies like AgeID owned by Mindgeek who run some big porn sites. The BBFC will be the regulator but cant recommend verification companies but say they will list them and other info on their site.
On the point made on this thread about sites hosted abroad, the government says if such sites don't verify people are adults they will get onto the ISPs to block those sites from being available here. Whether that will happen or not who knows, what the BBFC have stated is they will primarily check out the big players and rely on people reporting others to them, and that the scope of this crap is to avoid kids accidentally viewing porn. They said they know some determined enough may find a way round it not mentioning VPNs.
IMO the important thing with all this is not to use your own real ID to get verified if you are bothered about that as who knows who could get to see it, not to mention data leaks and hacks which could happen at any time. The Paypoint card although a fucking liberty at £5 is the best option outside VPN that I know of so far to be as anonymous as you can be. All assuming the card isn't withdrawn as a verification method between now and July. I predict a right royal mess with all this, it has shambles written all over it.