UK Launching Digital ID to Simplify Service Access and Combat Illegal Working

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The UK government has unveiled its plans for a new digital ID scheme to be deployed nationwide, aiming to simplify access to government services while strengthening border control. The scheme, announced September 26, 2025, will require all employers to use digital ID for Right to Work checks by the end of the current Parliament (July 2029 at the latest).

Under the proposals, every UK citizen and legal resident will be able to obtain a free digital ID, held on their smartphone, which will function as an official means of identity verification. The UK government says it will be a legal requirement for employers to check digital ID as proof of right to work in the UK. However, as with the current precedent for ID in the UK, the police will not be able to demand that people show their digital ID.

The digital ID will include name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photograph, enabling biometric verification. Like contactless payment cards, the credentials will be stored on users’ devices and can be revoked or reissued if a device is lost or stolen. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure. And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly—rather than hunting around for an old utility bill.

The government plans to launch a public consultation later this year to refine implementation.