UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday unveiled plans to introduce a free digital ID system for all nationals and residents, aiming to curb illegal immigration and simplify access to government services, according to an official statement. .
The government said the new digital ID, which will be stored on users’ smartphones, will streamline applications for services such as driving licences, childcare, welfare, and tax records. While individuals will not be required to carry or present the ID routinely, it will be “mandatory as a means of proving your right to work,” the statement added.
Starmer explained the move will help prevent those without legal status from securing employment, thereby cutting off a key incentive for illegal migration. “This will stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key 'pull factors' for people who come to the UK illegally,” the government said.
Here is what you need to know about the government’s digital ID initiative:
What is the digital ID plan?
The new digital ID will be an app or digital credential stored on individuals’ smartphones. It will serve as a secure, government-backed proof of identity to access a range of services - from applying for driving licences and childcare benefits to accessing welfare and tax records.
While the ID will not be compulsory to carry or show routinely, it will be mandatory to prove the right to work in the UK. This aims to prevent employers from hiring workers who lack legal permission to work, thereby reducing illegal employment.
Starmer described the digital ID as an “enormous opportunity for the UK” and said it will provide “countless benefits” to ordinary citizens while helping the government enforce immigration laws more effectively.
Who will be eligible?
The digital ID will be available to all UK nationals and legal residents, including foreign nationals living in the country. The government emphasised inclusivity, pledging that the system will accommodate those without smartphones, such as the elderly or homeless.
How will the application process work?
Details on the application process will be shaped by a forthcoming public consultation planned for later this year. The government has promised to engage with groups who might face challenges using digital services, ensuring the system is user-friendly and accessible to all.
Why is the digital ID being introduced now?
The UK has traditionally resisted introducing national ID cards, with the Conservative government scrapping a previous voluntary identity card system in 2011 established under Tony Blair’s administration. However, the current government views digital ID as a modern solution to immigration and public service access challenges.
Illegal immigration remains a politically sensitive issue, and Starmer faces pressure from within his own Labour Party to address it effectively ahead of the party’s annual conference.
Opposition and public reaction
Opposition voices have been critical. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said on social media that her party would “oppose any push… to impose mandatory ID cards on law-abiding citizens,” stressing that British people should not be forced into such a system.
The Liberal Democrats also rejected the plan, arguing they "cannot support a mandatory digital ID where people are forced to turn over their private data just to go about their daily lives."
Nigel Farage, leader of the hard-right Reform UK party - which polls predict could play a key role in the next government - voiced strong opposition, saying, "I do not see a single benefit to the government having digital ID other than them controlling what we do, what we spend and where we go."
Current identification methods
At present, UK citizens rely on passports, driving licences, and utility bills as forms of identification, depending on the situation. The digital ID aims to unify these disparate proofs into a single, streamlined digital identity.
What’s next?
The government will soon launch a public consultation to gather feedback on the digital ID service, including from digitally excluded groups. Officials highlighted that lessons will be drawn from other countries with similar systems to ensure accessibility and privacy protections.
(With inputs from agencies)
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