The UK government has announced plans to introduce a mandatory digital ID card to prove a person’s right to work in the country, a measure aimed at tackling illegal migration.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the new scheme would make it more difficult to work in the UK illegally while also offering “countless benefits” to citizens, such as easier access to key services. The digital ID will be required for all workers by the end of the current Parliament, expected by 2029 at the latest.
The ID will be held on a person’s phone, similar to a digital payment card, and is expected to contain a photo, name, date of birth, and nationality or residency status. Downing Street has clarified that there will be no requirement for individuals to carry the ID or produce it on demand.
In a speech to world leaders, Sir Keir said his government was delivering on the “reasonable demands” for secure borders and controlled migration, an issue on which he claimed the centre-left had previously been “squeamish”. The announcement comes as his government faces pressure over the more than 50,000 migrants who have arrived on small boats since Labour took power.
The proposal has been met with widespread criticism from opposition parties. The Conservatives argued it would create more red tape for law-abiding employers and citizens without stopping illegal work in the “grey economy” or deterring small boat crossings. The Liberal Democrats raised privacy concerns over a mandatory system, while Reform UK called it a “cynical ploy”.
The plan also faced opposition from devolved governments. The SNP-led Scottish government stated its opposition to any form of compulsory ID, and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, called the proposal “ill-thought out” and an “attack on the Good Friday Agreement.”
The government will launch a three-month public consultation on the scheme later this year, with legislation expected to be introduced in Parliament in early 2026.
