Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new mandatory digital ID scheme, stating unequivocally that "You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID." The plan, unveiled at the Global Progress Action Summit in London, supposedly aims to tackle illegal immigration and strengthen border control by requiring all individuals to possess a digital ID on their smartphone to prove their right to work or rent a home.
The government asserts the scheme will make it harder to work illegally, close loopholes exploited by trafficking gangs and unscrupulous employers, and offer citizens benefits like easier access to services such as driving licenses and welfare.
The digital ID will be a free, government-issued app on smartphones, containing a name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo It will be mandatory for proving the right to work or rent, but individuals will not be required to carry or present it on demand outside of these specific checks. The government plans to introduce the scheme by the end of the current parliamentary term.
This marks a significant policy shift for the Labor government, which previously ruled out the idea, with former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stating it was not in their manifesto. Starmer admitted Labor had previously "shied away" from addressing public concerns about illegal immigration, acknowledging it was "too easy for people to come here, slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally." The move is driven by record levels of small boat crossings and the government's desire to demonstrate control over borders.
The announcement has sparked significant debate. Critics, including civil liberty groups like Big Brother Watch and Liberty, argue the scheme amounts to "mass surveillance" and a "checkpoint society" that threatens privacy and civil liberties. They warn it could marginalize vulnerable groups like the elderly or homeless who may not have smartphones.
The opposition parties are also critical: Reform UK calls it a "cynical ploy," the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed it as a "desperate gimmick" that won't stop small boat crossings, and the Liberal Democrats oppose forcing people to surrender private data. A petition against the digital ID has already surpassed one million signatures, triggering a parliamentary debate.
While the government insists the ID will only be required to prove the right to work and will not be mandatory to carry or produce in other circumstances, confusion persists. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander emphasized it is not a physical "BritCard" but a digital tool. Critics remain skeptical, with some arguing that illegal workers will find ways to circumvent the system, and others questioning the effectiveness of the measure against the root causes of migration.
The government maintains the ID is a practical measure to simplify life for citizens by replacing the need to hunt for physical documents like utility bills or passports.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy clarified that while all UK citizens will be required to have the digital ID, it will be their choice whether to use it for everyday purposes. The government is also consulting on how to support those without smartphones.
