All UK adults will be issued with an ID card under new plans expected to be announced by Sir Keir Starmer as part of a wider push to tackle illegal immigration.
The prime minister is set to announce the plans as early as Friday, 26 September , The Times reported, with Starmer set to position the so-called ‘Brit card’ as a means of combatting illegal immigrants working in the UK.
The digital ID will be used to verify citizenship and people’s right to work when they begin a new job. They will also be required when entering a new rental contract.
Employers already require some form of ID when signing new staff, along with a national insurance (NI) number, but there are concerns not all businesses carry out the checks thoroughly.
The previous Labour government tried to introduce an ID card system in 2009, and the idea has long been championed by Tony Blair. It was opposed by the Conservatives who ditched the plan altogether when they entered the coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010.
Although the government has so far denied rumours of a mandatory national ID card system, the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has recently spoken in favour of them.
‘Uniquely harmful’
In June, the home affairs committee launched a new inquiry exploring the potential benefits and risks of the use of government-issued digital ID. It said digital ID could take many forms and could include documents such as passports, driving licences or NI numbers, as well as potentially including biometrics such as fingerprints or facial recognition data.
The government has previously announced plans for a digital ‘Gov.uk wallet’, which would enable people to access digital versions of government documents, including a new digital driver’s licence. It will be possible to use for age verification in shops and pubs once introduced.
The government also introduced e-visas in 2024, which can be used by individuals to prove their immigration status.
Supporters of a digital ID say it would build on the success of the NHS app and give people easier access to other public services, as well as potentially reducing fraud and helping tackle illegal immigration.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is said to be supportive of digital ID cards. (Alamy)
But critics have voiced concerns about how the government would use personal data, as well as practical hurdles such as how elderly people would not be excluded, and how much the system would cost.
Big Brother Watch’s interim director Rebecca Vincent is among a number of campaigners to have warned that rolling out a compulsory identification system could be “uniquely harmful to privacy, equality and civil liberties”.
They warn mandatory digital IDs would require the population to “surrender vast amounts of personal data” which could be “amalgamated, searched and analysed to monitor, track and profile individuals”. They argue to could leave people vulnerable to “catastrophic” data security breaches.
In December, a poll for More in Common found that more than half (53%) of people backed digital IDs, while only 19% opposed the idea.
What other countries use digital ID systems?
Several countries around the world have already implemented digital ID systems.
They include Singapore, whose SingPass was launched in 2003 and has since evolved, integrating biometric authentication and allowing people to access their health records, book medical appointments, and manage health-related services, as well as sign legal documents.
India’s digital ID system Aadhaar was launched in 2009 and serves 1.3 billion citizens, according to Identity.com. It enables access to government welfare programs and basic necessities, such as financial services and mobile phone SIM cards.
Estonia has also introduced a digital ID system, including a digital ID card for citizens and residents as well as an e-residency programme that allows non-Estonians to benefit from the same system.
Sweden uses digital infrastructure, called BankID, which allows people to access the national health portal, as well as to file tax returns, online bank and access welfare sevices.
In Germany, electronic ID cards were introduced in 2010, allowing people access to government portals, as well as enabling them to file taxes, and sign documents digitally.
Japan launched the My Number Card in 2016, which includes a microchip and photo and can be used to verify identity in various government and private sector services, as well as filing tax documents and accessing social security and disaster response services.
Canada is also developing a digital ID system that aims to provide access to government services, simplifying processes like obtaining and renewing driver’s licenses, accessing health services, and interacting with government programmes.
The Tony Blair Institute describes digital ID as: “a critical component of a reimagined state fit for the 21st century”. (Getty)
Have previous UK governments looked into ID cards?
When Tony Blair was prime minister, he introduced legislation to bring in compulsory ID cards when he was prime minister, but the scheme was later scrapped by the coalition government.
According to the Observer, an internal paper by the Tony Blair Institute on the role of technology in government, commissioned by Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, is part of the reason Starmer is reportedly pushing for digital ID.
The Tony Blair Institute backs digital ID systems, saying they “improve governance, facilitate greater inclusion, fuel economic growth and help governments achieve their core goals”.
It adds: “Far from enabling greater surveillance, digital IDs can actually make information more secure. Beyond their public-sector benefits, they also allow citizens to interact more safely and smoothly with private-sector institutions.
“They are a critical component of a reimagined state fit for the 21st century.”