UK drops mandatory digital ID for workers, opts for voluntary scheme

The UK government has significantly scaled back its plans for a nationwide digital identity system, announcing that registration will no longer be compulsory for workers. In a policy reversal, ministers confirmed that while the new digital ID scheme will be available as a tool for verifying work eligibility, it will operate on a voluntary basis.

A Shift from Compulsion to Choice

This decision marks a departure from the policy announced last year, which framed mandatory digital ID as crucial for clamping down on illegal immigration by creating a definitive, government-verified record of who is authorized to work. Under the revised approach, the digital ID becomes one of several potential methods for individuals to prove their eligibility. The core mandate now focuses on the digitization of the verification process itself, which employers must conduct using government-approved digital methods by 2029.

Digital Checks Proceed, Broader Benefits Emphasized

Despite the shift on mandatory registration, the government remains committed to making digital right-to-work checks compulsory. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the BBC the government is "absolutely committed" to this digital transition, which could involve technologies like biometric passports. She argued that moving away from the current "paper-based system" where "no proper records are kept" would strengthen enforcement against businesses that employ illegal workers. The scheme's focus has now broadened to highlight potential benefits beyond immigration control, such as facilitating easier access to public services.

Context of a Series of Government Reversals

This policy climbdown is part of a pattern for the government, which has recently reversed course on several other high-profile initiatives, including proposed welfare reforms and changes to inheritance tax. The move on digital ID suggests a recalibration in response to concerns over civil liberties, practicality, and public acceptance of a centralized identity database. It reflects a compromise between the desire for a modernized, enforceable system and the political and social resistance to making a single digital identity mandatory for all workers.