U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Friday that Britain will require a digital ID to prove the right to work. The leader announced the new system was intended to curb illegal employment and secure the nation’s borders.
Starmer told an audience at the Global Progress Action Summit in London, “You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID.”
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He said the measure was designed to address public concerns that “for too many years, it’s been too easy for people to come here, slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally.”
The government said the digital ID will be free and stored on mobile phones, similar to contactless payments or England’s National Health Service App. Starmer said the ID plan would be implemented “by the end of the Parliament.” According to the BBC, that would mean before the next general election, which must be held no later than August 2029.
How will the system work?
The new ID system will serve as authoritative proof of identity and residency status, including name, date of birth, nationality and photo.
Officials said the plan will simplify identity checks for driver’s licenses, child care and welfare. It will also help the government detect forged documents and enforce compliance among employers.
What is the political context?
Immigration has reemerged as a top issue for British voters. According to The Washington Post, more than 50,000 people have crossed in small boats since July 2024.
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Polling has shown rising support for Reform U.K., led by Nigel Farage, who has called for mass deportations. Starmer urged his countrymen to reject Farage’s “toxic” approach, saying his government would instead “enforce every possible measure to deter illegal migrants from entering British waters.”
Starmer also framed the digital ID within a larger argument about national renewal.
“It’s not compassionate, left-wing politics to rely on labor that exploits foreign workers and undercuts fair wages,” Starmer said. “Every nation needs to have control over its borders.”
What are the plan’s critics saying?
Opposition parties and civil liberties groups warned the ID could raise privacy and surveillance concerns, while doing little to deter dangerous crossings at the English Channel. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wrote that her party “will not support any system that is mandatory for British people.”
Starmer acknowledged public unease but argued the change was necessary. “Decent, pragmatic, fair-minded people want us to tackle the issues that they see around them,” he said.
Next steps include a public consultation on delivery and access for people without smartphones, plus security measures such as encryption and rapid revocation if a device is lost or stolen, according to the prime minister’s office.
