Government Drops Plan For Mandatory Digital ID
The government has backed away from plans to make digital ID cards compulsory for people who want to work in the UK, just months after the policy was announced by the prime minister.
By the end of this parliament in 2029, right to work checks will still move fully online, using tools like biometric passports or electronic visas. But workers will no longer be required to register for a new digital ID scheme to prove their status. Signing up to the digital ID programme will be optional.
That is a clear change from last year, when Sir Keir Starmer set out the policy in blunt terms, telling an audience: "You will not be able to work in the UK if you don't have a digital ID, it's as simple as that."
Ministers now say digital checks themselves remain mandatory, but they do not have to rely on a single form of digital ID. A government spokesperson said: "We are committed to mandatory digital right to work checks." They added that the current mix of paper-based systems is vulnerable to fraud and that digital systems would be more secure and easier to use.
The policy shift comes after growing political and public backlash. Polling showed support for digital ID fell sharply after the prime minister’s announcement, while nearly three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing the plan. Some Labour MPs were also uneasy about having to defend a controversial policy that now appears to have been dropped.
One Labour MP described the reversal as “an absolute car crash”, adding: "The boys at No 10 jumped into it with no thought, marched the PLP up the hill only to bottle it, take all the pain and no credit."
Opposition parties were quick to criticise. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: "Good riddance. It was a terrible policy anyway." The Liberal Democrats repeated their claim that the idea was “doomed to failure”, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the move “a victory for individual liberty”. Green Party co-leader Zack Polanski said simply: "The government have U-turned on ID cards. Good."
Former home secretary Lord David Blunkett said the reversal was not surprising, arguing the government had failed to properly explain the policy or build support for it. “The original statement was not followed by a narrative or supportive statements or any kind of strategic plan,” he said.
Ministers insist the wider digital overhaul is still happening. The system is expected to be built around Gov.uk One Login and the planned Gov.uk Wallet app, which would allow people to store digital documents on their phones. But exactly how the digital ID will work is still subject to consultation.
For now, employers will continue to check workers’ right to work, using a mix of online Home Office systems and certified digital passport checks, without anyone being forced to carry a new digital ID card.
