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Government abandons digital ID requirement for UK workers
The UK government has reversed its plan to mandate digital IDs for workers to prove their right to work, opting instead to move existing document checks fully online by 2029.
Policy reversal amid recent U-turns
This decision marks the latest in a series of policy shifts by the Labour government, including changes to inheritance tax for farmland and business rates for pubs. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the move during Prime Minister's Questions, calling it evidence of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's lack of direction.
Badenoch welcomed the reversal but argued it demonstrated the government's inconsistency, predicting further U-turns on plans to scale back jury trials. Starmer countered by highlighting policy reversals and instability under the previous Conservative government, accusing them of economic mismanagement.
"I'm determined to make it harder for people to work illegally in this country, and that's why there will be checks-they will be digital, and they will be mandatory."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Digital checks to focus on fraud prevention
Initially, the government argued that mandatory digital IDs would help crack down on illegal immigration. However, the revised approach broadens the focus, emphasizing digital IDs as a tool for accessing public services.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government remains committed to mandatory digital right-to-work checks, including through biometric passports. She stated that digitizing the system would improve enforcement against businesses employing illegal workers.
"The digital ID could be one way in which you prove your eligibility to work through a digital right-to-work check. At the moment, we've got a paper-based system-there's no proper records kept."
Heidi Alexander, Transport Secretary
Criticism and public opposition
Former Home Secretary Lord David Blunkett, who previously supported ID cards, criticized the government for failing to explain the policy's purpose or implementation. He noted that opposition groups successfully mobilized public opinion against the scheme.
Public support for digital IDs plummeted following Starmer's announcement, dropping from over 50% in June to less than a third afterward. Nearly three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing the introduction of digital IDs, and some Labour MPs expressed unease over the compulsory nature of the original proposal.
One Labour MP, speaking anonymously, called the reversal an "absolute car crash," accusing Downing Street of acting without foresight and leaving the party to face backlash without any credit.
Political reactions
The Liberal Democrats dismissed the policy as "doomed to failure" and urged the government to redirect the billions earmarked for the scheme toward the NHS and frontline policing. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hailed the reversal as a "victory for individual liberty," while Green Party leader Zack Polanski welcomed the decision.
A government spokesperson reiterated the commitment to mandatory digital right-to-work checks, arguing that the current paper-based system is vulnerable to fraud. They stated that digital IDs would streamline access to public services while maintaining inclusivity.
How digital checks will work
Employers are already required to verify workers' right to work in the UK. Since 2022, digital checks have been available for British and Irish passport holders, while a Home Office online scheme verifies the status of some non-British or Irish citizens.
The new system is expected to be based on two government platforms: Gov.uk One Login and Gov.uk Wallet. Over 12 million people have already signed up for One Login, which is used for services like passport cancellations and managing lasting power of attorney. The Wallet app, not yet launched, would allow users to store digital IDs on their smartphones.
A digital ID would include name, date of birth, nationality, residence status, and a photograph.
