Britain to introduce compulsory digital ID for workers

reuters.com

521 points by alex77456 6 days ago


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-digital-id-scheme-to-...

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwydl81dg13t

https://www.theverge.com/news/786323/uk-digital-id-plans-man...

aftergibson - 6 days ago

A secure, optional digital ID could be useful. But not in today’s UK. Why? Because the state has already shown it can’t be trusted with our data.

- Snoopers’ Charter (Investigatory Powers Act 2016): ISPs must keep a year’s worth of records of which websites you visit. More than 40 agencies—from MI5 to the Welsh Ambulance Service—can request it. MI5 has already broken the rules and kept data it shouldn’t have.

- Encryption backdoors: Ministers can issue “Technical Capability Notices” to force tech firms to weaken or bypass end-to-end encryption.

- Online Safety Act: Expands content-scanning powers that experts warn could undermine privacy for everyone.

- Palantir deals: The government has given £1.5 billion+ in contracts to a US surveillance firm that builds predictive-policing tools and runs the NHS’s new Federated Data Platform. Many of those deals are secret.

- Wall-to-wall cameras: Millions of CCTV cameras already make the UK one of the most surveilled countries in the world.

A universal digital ID would plug straight into this ecosystem, creating an always-on, uniquely identified record of where you go and what you do. Even if paper or card options exist on paper, smartphone-based systems will dominate in practice, leaving those without phones excluded or coerced.

I’m not against digital identity in principle. But until the UK government proves it can protect basic privacy—by rolling back mass data retention, ending encryption backdoor demands, and enforcing genuine oversight—any national digital ID is a surveillance power-grab waiting to happen.

I'm certain it's worked well in other countries, but I have zero trust in the UK government to handle this responsibility.

jjgreen - 6 days ago

Before the election I was approached by a bubbly young woman who tried to persuade me to vote Labour: "No thanks, last time I did that they tried to introduce ID cards", "But that's not in our manifesto" she replied, "It wasn't the last time I voted for them either".

It gives me no pleasure to be right on this.

pera - 6 days ago

I am quite confused by this point:

> A new digital ID scheme will help combat illegal working

If you are an immigrant you already have to prove your right to work with a share code:

https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work/get-a-share-code-onli...

And if you claim to be a citizen you must show a passport or birth certificate:

https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work

So how exactly will this new digital ID help "stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work"?

a022311 - 6 days ago

The same thing is happening in Greece. The new mandatory digital ID replaces and unifies everything about citizens in one place, "to make it easier for government services to share information between each other". It can indeed be useful, but the privacy implications are enormous. Just imagine that a policeman, employer or anybody else with access to the information linked to the ID can instantly view our medical records, tax status and even simpler things like if we've ever been caught driving while drunk. Nobody knows what other information could be attached to it, but it's certain that it can be used to discriminate against us.

The worst part is that we no longer have any power to do something about it. Eventually, after it goes through the testing phase in the UK and Greece (and a few other countries where it's being implemented), this will probably roll out on a global scale, making privacy impossibly. I'm starting to get this feeling that in the next decade, we'll be living in 1984...

remarkEon - 6 days ago

>The proposals are the government's latest bid to tackle illegal immigration, with the new ID being a form of proof of a citizen's right to live and work in the UK.

How does a digital ID solve an illegal immigration problem? I watched the video and the suggestion is that this makes it easier for employers to verify that someone is authorized to work. Is that actually true? I don't live in the UK and have not visited in several years. If the idea is that a digital ID authorizes employment ... well I hope people can see the problem, here.

drnick1 - 6 days ago

And, of course, that digital ID will require an "approved app" (blessed by Apple and Google) running on an unrooted phone. Don't want spyware running on your phone? Too bad.

matt-p - 6 days ago

So I currently have;

A National Insurance Card (needed to get a job), drivers license and passport, one of latter is also needed (in practice) to get a job.

Why would a brit card help us reduce the number of people working illegally?

The only notable 'employers' of illegal workers in the UK are American tech firms Uber and deliveroo (doordash) because they allow driver substitution without verifying that the substitute is legit. That should be made illegal and then fine them into the ground for anyone who slips through. Brit card doesn't help and is a distraction.

octo888 - 6 days ago

"Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said ID cards were not in the party's election manifesto and added: "That’s not our approach.""

– July 2024

"Asked about the possibility of introducing digital ID cards, Mr Reynolds [then Secretary of State for Business and Trade, now Chief Whip] told Times Radio: "We can rule that out, that's not something that's part of our plans.""

– July 2024

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87rgj4e0rzo

mastazi - 6 days ago

I'm not clear if this is digital ONLY or if I people can choose to carry a physical card when required, instead of a smartphone.

If it's the former, then it means it's now mandatory for all British citizens to become customers of the Google/Apple duopoly LOL

pjc50 - 6 days ago

> There will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it - but digital ID will be mandatory as a means of proving your Right to Work.

So it's mandatory for everyone except old people and the unemployed. It will almost certainly also be mandatory for renting, which has the same check. Then it will gradually seep into everything else: benefits and pensions, to cover the categories not initially covered. Then police spot checks and ICE sweeps.

lvturner - 6 days ago

Having just paid a small fortune to renew my passport. I'm not super excited about this, especially as I live outside the UK.

I also don't trust them not to make a complete hash of all this, removing all potential utility while simultaneously increasing the chances of my ID being stolen.

sigh

gattr - 6 days ago

> Stored on mobile phones, the ID would contain details including a name, date of birth, residency status and crucially a photo - which would distinguish it from National Insurance numbers.

Surely it will be possible to also store it on some government-issued, GCHQ-vetted digital device, and not rely on foreign companies (Google/Apple) and their locked-down mobile platforms?

andyjohnson0 - 6 days ago

I didn't watch the video, but have read other reports, and it's worth noting that the context for this is the Labour Party conference, which starts on Sunday. The UK govt are under pressure from the tories and Reform to do something about people entering the UK from France by crossing the channel in small boats. Nothing much seems to be working. So this announcement is about trying to control the narrative by making a big, distracting announcement. I'd mlbe surprised if many people in the government/police/civil service expect it to make a difference.

Also, seems to be intended to be mandatory and require a smartphone. Hows that going to work?

Also, what happens when the database is inevitably stolen?

SoftTalker - 6 days ago

People already work illegally. They get paid cash, off the books. New forms of ID won't stop this.

madaxe_again - 6 days ago

Headline (here and on Sky) is clickbait - should read that this is a PROPOSAL.

This is a proposal at a party conference, not law. Previous initiatives along these lines have not come to pass, and this is unlikely to as well.

Expect universal rejection by the tories, lib dems and reform in parliament, purely because it’s a Labour initiative, and expect plenty of Labour MPs to disobey the whip.

From the BBC this morning:

“Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch calls it a "desperate gimmick", while the Lib Dems fear it would force people to turn over their private data”

If it does somehow get beyond the commons, expect lords to quash it.

I give this about a 20% chance of actually coming to pass.

motbus3 - 6 days ago

Can anyone really point me out the real problem about the immigrants? How big is it compared to, for example the lack of funding of the NHS or the hyper funding of other initiatives such as war in Ukraine.

Or are those things somehow related? I would be crazily scared to know that immigrant care workers will leave NHS as most hospitals relies on them. The government already made clear they won't pay people more nor will give more benefits for NHS workers and I am quite sure not Brits will take those spots when Tesco express pays more for less hours of work with more benefits.

mrob - 6 days ago

It's incredibly misleading to call a phone app a "card". This is much worse than it sounds. Am I going to be forced to buy a smartphone? Am I going to be forced to run non-Free software? Am I going to be forced to enter into a restrictive contract with a foreign corporation?

randerson - 6 days ago

[flagged]

steanne - 6 days ago

didn't they try that 20 years ago and repeal? and back then it was voluntary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_Cards_Act_2006

lelandfe - 6 days ago

I feel like governments worldwide are perennially musing “what if we could know what everyone is doing, all the time?

GordonS - 6 days ago

It's quite possible that this whole digital ID thing is a red herring, to distract from recent revelations about Morgan McSweeney - who illegally took money from the Israel lobby, to fund a fake "antisemitism crisis" in Labour, with the goal of replacing Corbyn with Israel-aligned Starmer.

Some of the digital ID proposal documents published by UK gov even bear the "Labour Together" stamp - Labour Together being the Israel-aligned "think tank" that McSweeney used for the illegal funds!

einarfd - 6 days ago

If you look at the countries that are lauded at having the best online government services. They all have some type of digital ID.

Having something like that is imo. a cornerstone for building out top notch digital governmental services, and I don't fault the UK for trying to get this in place.

That being said, I'm not convinced it will be that much of a blocker for illegal workers. I'm sure they will find a way around it.

ryukafalz - 6 days ago

In addition to all the issues mentioned in the article, this seems to mean that UK citizens will effectively be forced to accept the terms of service of one of two US companies (Apple or Google). If you must have either an Android or iOS device to run this digital ID app (which presumably will be distributed via the Play Store on Android), there's no other option!

xyzzy3000 - 6 days ago

The petition against this has so far managed to surpass the one opposing online age verification:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194

benmmurphy - 6 days ago

I don't understand how people are able to work in the UK illegally without employers already breaking the law. Employers are required to pay payroll taxes for their employees and you need a national insurance number for the employee to do this. I'm not sure how this fixes something that should already be fixed.

m2f2 - 6 days ago

I just wonder how widespread fraud is without any form of ID. A fake utility bill is just a few clicks away on my PC.

Govt surveillance? I'm much more worried by the ever increasing number of cameras in the streets rather than something similar to having a passport to prove who you really are.

ghusto - 3 days ago

From the governments page on this^1:

>How we will ensure it is available to everyone > > Millions of people in the UK lack access to traditional proofs of identity like passports. It is estimated that 10% of UK citizens have never had a passport, while 93% of adults own a smart phone. > > This means it can be difficult to prove your eligibility for services such as opening a bank account and claiming benefits. Digital ID will give you free, secure identity verification.

I get it, you're the government so double-speak is part of the deal, but it's like you're not even trying to make it sound convincing any more, and that scares me.

Putting aside the fact that the reason why some people don't have a passport is _not because it's difficult to get a passport ordered_, it still doesn't explain why having 2% more people who don't have a passport makes it easier to have this new solution -- let alone address the fact that some people do not have a smartphone!

^1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-id-scheme...

isodev - 6 days ago

I’ve always lived in places where having an ID on you has been part of your “citizen responsibilities”. So reading the post my feeling was “oh cool, they’re getting a new eID-like system”. But I imagine it’s a huge step if folks could get by without an ID at all.

phendrenad2 - 6 days ago

This is just wishful thinking. They're not going to make all of the farm workers, many of whom have difficulty reading ANY language (let alone English), download an "app" and install it on their phone.

"In 2024, a significant portion of the UK adult population, approximately 8.5 million people (1 in 6), struggles with reading and writing at a basic level, according to The Reading Agency's 2024 report"

Maybe they'll have an exception for people who are more migratory in nature. In that event, I think we'll get to see a nice real-world example of a cyberpunk-style dystopia. "High tech, low life". The upstanding citizens will be surveilled, preyed upon by corruption, and will be running on a social credit score treadmill designed to work them to death. Meanwhile, a plucky band of rebel farm workers, who are free to work outside the system, will bring down the establishment and bring freedom to all. Roll credits.

eboynyc32 - 5 days ago

. The UK is in shambles. For 15 years, raw sewage has poured into its rivers unchecked. The government shrugs. Meanwhile, the nation wallows in self-pity about losing “world power” status, yet produces little of note. In the AI race, the space race, the EV race? Nowhere to be found.

mellosouls - 6 days ago

There will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it

Yet.

voidUpdate - 6 days ago

What's the benefit of this over a passport? A passport is a physical thing, so you don't need to have a phone to be able to use it, proves who you are with the same details as this digital ID, and will probably require a similar amount of paperwork to get hold of

tempodox - 6 days ago

One step closer to 24/7 total surveillance. Once this is established, they’ll make it mandatory for using web sites, chat apps, etc…

codedokode - 5 days ago

The point of digital ID might be to add more cases when ID is required in future. One thing if everyone buying a kitchen knife must fill a long form, another thing if they just must tap a phone on the cash register linking knife ID and person's ID. Half of you are already tapping a phone to pay for the items anyway.

One thing is showing a passport to enter the gay bar, another thing is tap a phone and have time, person ID and bar ID recorded. Much faster. Also the mobile application can collect other data from the phone without distracting a user. So much more convenient.

sjw987 - 6 days ago

I don't understand why this needs to be linked to a smartphone. No issue with a national ID, but should we really shackle everything to a phone? They're already lost on the questions coming in about those who don't have one.

Is this just going to be a cheeky kickback to Palantir given the investment last week: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-strategic-partnership...

xbar - 5 days ago

After the UK Post fiasco, I wonder if Hitachi is providing the software.

My point: even if this was a good idea, it is easy to get the software wrong in a way that is a complete disaster.

physarum_salad - 5 days ago

JR-M just tore this to shreds in a very thorough and historically informed way. Not someone I agree with on a lot of things, however this hit the nail on the head: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FZKkQR7MCo&list=LL&index=3

paxys - 6 days ago

Nothing is going to change unless you put the entire penalty of illegal employment on the employer. This could mean massive fines, shutting down the business and/or jail time. In the US hundreds of illegal workers are rounded up every day and jailed/deported while their employers get a slap on the wrist, and these employers then just turn around and hire more illegal immigrants. The overall problem goes unsolved.

whywhywhywhy - 6 days ago

Anti-migrant rhetoric used to push control that will only ever apply to citizens from the supposed party you should have voted for if you're pro-migration is wild.

- 6 days ago
[deleted]
aussieguy1234 - 5 days ago

"Government says digital ID will make it harder to work illegally"

Today it's immigrants, tomorrow it could be dissidents.

In East Germany a common strategy the government used was to not put dissidents in prison, but make life hard for them in many ways including by denying them employment.

Of course none of this stops under the table work - which those engaging in illegal work are probably already doing.

zahllos - 6 days ago

One of my concerns with this is the assumption that every adult has a suitable smartphone. Do the government plan to hand them out?

Hikikomori - 6 days ago

In Sweden we have bank id that you can optionally use as ID (new feature). But its mostly used to validate purchases, sign things, or login to banks, government websites or whatever website might use it to auth. It does not hand over all id information to the site that uses it to identify you, just name and personal number.

gorgoiler - 6 days ago

Leveraging a central authority to issue standardised, signed tokens to all citizens, then letting the public and private sectors make use of it: that’s something I could get behind!

The government steps in solely to manage token issuance. New use cases appear as emergent properties. DebbiesDrawings.com lets you use your tokens to sign eCards. HMRC.gov.uk lets you use then to sign tax returns. RonsRentals.co.uk lets you use it to sign a new lease.

In a pessimistic world, without watching the hyenas closely we end up with Capita or Accenture or Concentrica or Syntegrico (I made the last two up) syphoning off £8bn to create proprietary tokens that can only be used with sanctioned government JavaBeans webcrap. It would also be fundamentally flawed and won’t launch until 2037.

With care, something really cool could happen.

mindcrash - 6 days ago

In case you are wondering if only the UK is working on this... buckle up:

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-...

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/sites/spaces/EU...

https://github.com/eu-digital-identity-wallet

vixen99 - 6 days ago

https://www.ft.com/content/b8c02080-a290-4af7-9702-03230aa9c...

"Hackers obtained the details of tens of millions of British voters in a “complex cyber attack” on the Electoral Commission that went undetected for more than a year, the elections watchdog admitted on Tuesday. The body said “hostile actors” first breached its network in August 2021, gaining access to its file-sharing and email systems and obtaining copies of the electoral register, but “suspicious activity” was not identified until October 2022."

Of course such a thing will never happen in relation to Digital ID Cards, will it?

arrowsmith - 6 days ago

Digital IDs will be used to restrict your internet access.

They'll roll them out gradually. You won't need one at first. You'll still show your passport, driving license etc, until one day you give up because the digital version is convenient and you "might as well". What's your problem? Why do you care? Have you got something to hide?

Then they'll attack the easiest target: porn. We already have age-verification laws, implemented through dodgy third-party providers. But now everyone has digital government ID: we "might as well" unify things so all the porn sites check your age using the centralised government system. What's your problem? Why do you care? Won't you THINK OF THE CHILDREN??? You want to let CHILDREN watch PORN???

Then comes online retail. After all, the Southport killer bought his knife from Amazon — that was the front page headline on every paper, remember how organic and uncoordinated that was? It could all have been avoided with better age verification. And hey, we already have a way to verify age with our digital IDs. We "might as well". What's your problem? Why do you care? You want to let CHILDREN buy KNIVES?

And what about social media? Kids shouldn't use Facebook, it's bad for them. Australia already bans under 16s from social media. We already have age verification for other things. We "might as well". WHY DO YOU CARE????? THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

Oh, that's handy, everyone's social media accounts are now tied to their real identities. That'll come in handy when people say nasty things that the government doesn't like. After all, those riots only happened because of "misinformation". Why do you need to stay anonymous anyway? What's the problem? Why do you care? Got something to hide? You're in favour of HATE SPEECH??

The slippery slope has never been more lubricated.

1vuio0pswjnm7 - 5 days ago

No Datadome Javascript:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/britain-to-introduce-c...

Text-only:

https://assets.msn.com/content/view/v2/Detail/en-in/AA1Nmgi0...

Arch-TK - 5 days ago

"The new digital ID will be held on people’s phones"

Is the implication here that it will become a legal requirement for me to own a modern phone (will it have to be a google/apple blessed phone?) in order to get a job in the UK?

OgsyedIE - 6 days ago

So this applies to sectarian areas of Northern Ireland as well as every other part of the UK, then.

noelwelsh - 6 days ago

I don't think Kier Starmer understands that when people voted for Labour, they were, in fact, voting for Labour, not Reform / the Tories. This proposal at least has some merit (though it is not without issues) but trying to sell it as preventing illegal work is ludicrous, attempting to appeal to the right-wing votes who will never vote Labour, and giving control of the conversation to the Weasel in Chief, Nigel Farage.

helsinkiandrew - 6 days ago

This appears to just be an extension (in free app form) of the UK government “One Login” system used to get access to most government web services. This currently has about 12 million users.

https://www.gov.uk/using-your-gov-uk-one-login

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/25/keir-starme...

pipes - 6 days ago

I genuinely think the next move will be using it as part of their age verification check. I am guessing they want it to be your online id. No more anonymous internet usage.

It is really grim what is happening to the UK. For the most part no one gives a shit. And if you do, you are automatically branded as "right wing".

EasyMark - 6 days ago

Next comes sensors in said cards, if someone walks by an digital observation post without the card on them they will now be tagged by visual recognition and documented as illegal/possibly illegal until proven otherwise. Expect the database to record it and start drawing up statistics on said undocument individual. The undocumented police will be notified and be on alert to apprehend at first opportunity. Coming to you in 2030.

closeparen - 5 days ago

It has been obvious for at least 10 years of "digital privacy" as an issue that the next time people with certain database attributes would be restricted from full participation in society or rounded up by armed men, the attributes at issue would be citizenship and immigration status.

This moment is the test for the edifice that the privacy advocates have built in all that time. We should all be watching closely.

userbinator - 5 days ago

Are there any Amish in the UK? In the US, they probably have ID (like most other citizens) but not the digital form that's being discussed here. I'm not against the idea of having an ID card, as like many others I have some of my own, but that's a physical, inert object which stands on its own, not tied to anything ephemeral and fragile like a mobile phone or computer would be.

Edmond - 6 days ago

This doesn't have to be scary, you can pair this with cryptographic certificates to get rigorous privacy:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44723418

You use the ID to create an IRL identify anchor certificate, then use other certificates with varying privacy profiles that are then cryptographically linked to your identity but in a privacy preserving manner.

stuaxo - 5 days ago

This is totally pointless.

When starting a job you already have to give enough ID to do the home offices job for them, this adds absolutely nothing.

Tycho - 5 days ago

I don’t understand what is wrong with this system:

“Please employ me.”

“OK, fill out this form with your name, D.O.B. and national insurance number, and if it matches against the government database then you can have the job.”

What am I missing here? I suppose they could use someone else’s details, but then HMRC should be able to easily see that the NI account seems to have multiple taxpayers.

opless - 6 days ago

We've seen this before and we'll probably see it again.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NO2ID

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194

digianarchist - 6 days ago

If it's only applicable to citizens then how do they hope it will help on migration?

Edit: The Times says this is to include all workers:

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/digital-id-comp...

gushie - 6 days ago

I won't hold my breath. It'll take 5 times longer than planned, cost 10 times more, won't do everything it originally set out to do, then won't work on the tech that everyone will have when finished, and a future government will decide they don't like it and will start over.

panny - 6 days ago

>Create problem

>Provide "solution"

A story as old as time.

pepa65 - 6 days ago

Digital as opposed to analog..? Or does every adult need to have a smartphone on them all the time?? I think most countries legally require adults to be able to identify themselves with government-issued ID. Is this so novel for the UK? But I really don't get the "digital" bit...

jameslk - 6 days ago

Finally, a digital form of “papers, please”

robertdaniels - 5 days ago

I am concerned about the UK's initiative to implement mandatory digital IDs, particularly regarding scalable threat detection. This could lead to an increase in spoofing attempts and automated credential stuffing once the system is rolled out.

fithisux - 6 days ago

So sad for Britain. But the rest of the countries are eager to follow. Thankfully war is starting soon.

rglynn - 5 days ago

I think this episode of Yes Minister is rather relevant, albeit EU focused.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVYqB0uTKlE

surfingdino - 6 days ago

It's interesting how an idea almost nobody wants to see implemented in practice keeps coming back thanks to the efforts of the person most of the country, including his own party would rather forget.

asimpleusecase - 4 days ago

The UK gov will force the ID cards on everyone, knowing full well that people don’t want them. Then china will hack the Uk and steal all the data.

citrin_ru - 5 days ago

Leaving aside that this ID solves no problem (as noted in may comments here) the last thing already stretched budget needs right now is a new expensive project.

illwrks - 6 days ago

I don’t see why they can’t augment and phase in a new National Insurance ID which has photo on it rather than introducing some new system…

Unless of course this new system is for some other unclear purpose.

alfor - 6 days ago

Digital ID is the pattern of the mark in revelation.

Once you let go of God (worship of truth and love) the government or other totalitarian force will try to control people top down. The logical way is to identify them.

You go from a system of free will and distributed cognition to one of enforcement top down. New things can always be added to it as you don't control it. All the "problems" of the states will tag along.

Making it digital is way worse than anything before because it allow to control you without having to pay a cost in enforcement, you control the flow of money, of exchange, you let the computer control people allowing a system so top down the Nazi and communist couldn't even imagine.

Worse part, it's already there for sure but in shadow form, they have all the info about the people, it's just not tied to financial transactions and out there in the public.

burnt-resistor - 6 days ago

Kafkaesque doesn't mean that much anymore when reality is far darker.

type0 - 6 days ago

UK is taking the worst ideas from Russia.

Orwell is turning over in his coffin

kranke155 - 5 days ago

The UK is absolutely paranoid about national ID cards and has been for decades. Not sure how that happened tbh seems like the US has a similar allergy.

Simulacra - 6 days ago

Quite ... a papers please moment.. if I recall correctly, South Korea has it where you have to register with the government to get an assigned username and password.

zkmon - 6 days ago

Reminds me a scene in "Friends" - people boarding an airplane asking the crew "Did you fix the issue of missing Falange?"; "Yes sir, we fixed it!"

add-sub-mul-div - 6 days ago

Do they not already have the equivalent of a US social security card? (For the employment eligibility, not the program benefits.) Is this something much different from that?

ChrisArchitect - 6 days ago

Earlier discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45381810

KaiserPro - 6 days ago

I am in two minds on this.

1) I don't like centralised ID, its ripe for abuse.

2) I don't like the idea of crapita/accenture/G4S/some other dipshit company designing and running this.

However

if its an extension of the government gateway, then actually the only "innovation" here is the presumable fine for not keeping it up to date. (that and the smartphone integration, which I suspect is largely symbolic)

So long as its GDS rolling it out, and its properly designed (two big ifs) then in principle it could be a useful as the original GDS scheme to make government services "digital"

But, the problems of authoritarianism are not to be ignored. starmer doesn't have the bollocks to be a dictator, but jenrick and farage do. Our constitution has no guards against authoritarian capture, its just "good men" doing "good deeds". That was easily overridden with Boris. A decent majority in the House of commons gives you alomst unlimited power of the state.

jimnotgym - 5 days ago

In the UK, employers are already legally bound to check peoples right to work.

But some don't, and they get away with it

So what will change?

tekno45 - 6 days ago

What info is on this ID that they don't already have access to?

Not from the UK so i don't know how much more they're asking for

Havoc - 5 days ago

Kinda ambivalent about it. The eu settled system used for those that stayed post brexit is basically already this except website

Works ok

jimnotgym - 5 days ago

How about just making passports free to get in the UK? There is already a system for that

jrochkind1 - 5 days ago

Interesting to require residents to have smartphones, I don't think they were before?

lawlessone - 6 days ago

How's this going to work in Norther Ireland? They haven't thought of that have they?

gethly - 5 days ago

Do not worry, people. You can vote yourself out of this. Like, totally. Just vote harder.

reorder9695 - 6 days ago

I am not going to download an app to work. If they need some form of ID they can provide me a physical one, oh wait that sounds like an NI number. What's the point of this again?

mettamage - 5 days ago

So is this like DigID as in the Netherlands? Or is this more far reaching?

UberFly - 5 days ago

This quote from Starmer tells me that this is as much about control of its citizens as anything else:

"In the UK ... we have got a right-wing proposition that we have not had in this country before ... so the battle of our times is between patriotic national renewal ... versus something which is turning into a toxic divide."

boxerab - 6 days ago

"Welcome to 2030. I own nothing, have no privacy, and life has never been better"

dang - 6 days ago

We changed the URL from https://news.sky.com/video/all-british-adults-to-require-a-d..., which is a video, to a text article that appears to give the important background info.

CrzyLngPwd - 6 days ago

Illegal immigrants working illegally will continue to do so, since they don't care about the law, as demonstrated by arriving illegally.

Anyway, according to some news stories, they don't need to work, since they get everything for free anyway.

exe34 - 6 days ago

Unlike the NI number, which you can't legally work without...

- 6 days ago
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jesprenj - 5 days ago

What if you don't have a phone?

mytailorisrich - 6 days ago

This is a plan so we shall see what happens...

This is widely unpopular because the idea of ID cards is unpopular in general in the UK and the people also clearly understand that the argument that this would combat illegal immigration is total rubbish. Even the comments on The Guardian's website are overwhelmingly negative, which should really tell the government something.

The proposal is also drastic because it would be de facto mandatory for all residents. It's hilarious and pathetic to see the government argue that it wouldn't be mandatory, just only needed to get a job (which probably means also mandatory to rent and to study)...

An unpopular government trying to out-do itself.

raxxorraxor - 6 days ago

He, this Starmer guy seems weird.

throwawaydjdu - 6 days ago

Reminder that the UK arrests 12000/year for online posts, by far the most in the West.

The UK already has government issued ID, the proof of age card. This is about tying your identity to your online behaviour.

saltysalt - 5 days ago

The Empire Strikes Back

Xss3 - 6 days ago

Any digital ID not using a form of blockchain tech is doing it wrong in my view.

nextworddev - 6 days ago

Similar to e-verify?

jama211 - 6 days ago

I find it hard to make a nuanced take without being downvoted sometimes, but I honestly both agree this is bad/not necessary, AND that half the people in here are worrying a little too much/being a bit too pessimistic about it. Can one not hold both of these opinions at the same time?

platipusiton - 6 days ago

What the hell is with these overly-draconian bills prioritizing control over individual rights being passed as of late?! The online safety act & now this. Our private right to anonymity & privacy has utterly gone out the window at this point...

woodylondon - 6 days ago

We already have multiple forms of identification. The National Insurance number, passports and photo ID such as driving licences, which we must provide when starting employment.

If you're not from Britain, you must present evidence of your right to work or other documentation. This is already the law.

Any company that does not follow this is violating the law.

In reality, most illegal workers are engaged in cash-in-hand jobs that never require ID. A digital ID alone will not solve this problem.

Adding a digital ID won't make any difference.

We've also seen similar issues with the UK's attempt to censor adult content "to protect children." It sounds reasonable on the surface (no child should have open access to the internet!). Still, the law was written so broadly that even community clubs involving children with no relation to adult content were caught in its provisions.

Threatened by fines and bureaucratic red tape, many closed their doors. International sites that had no idea what to do - now block the UK. And did this stop access to explicit content? No. Anyone can use a VPN, or an anonymity-oriented browser like Brave and use a Tor tab to bypass the blocks completely. For the non-technical, how long before these Age ID check services, which the government wants everyone to use (private companies owned mainly by adult companies), are hacked and everyone's viewing habits are released?

How long before we're required to use our Digital ID to log on to the internet, enabling monitoring of everything we browse?

A more innovative approach would be for ISPs to by default integrated parental controls on residential connections, something that has been technically possible for decades. In fact, any mobile phone contract in the UK operates similarly. Why not home internet? This isn't about new legislation; it's about education.

Parents already understand why they shouldn't give alcohol or tobacco to their children; why not teach them how to protect their children online?

The new NHS app and driving licence app are expected to be available by the end of 2025. How long before they're integrated into a single system where the government maintains one massive database containing every individual's driving information, medical records, browsing history, banking and tax details? It's not far-fetched to imagine such overreach occurring.

Also as of this week, HMRC (our UK tax office) also now has the right to raid any UK bank account for taxes owed (leaving only £5,000 in the account). This applies to both individuals and companies. Consider a company that becomes insolvent days before paying salaries how will they pay their workers? Some companies have already become insolvent after paying wages while still owing taxes and National Insurance. Just HMRC now get their money and the employees won’t.

I realise there are several loosely connected points above, but that's precisely the problem: all these developments have emerged over the past 18 months.

So when the UK government claims these measures are "for the people," the argument falls flat.

It's difficult to believe that policymakers don't recognise these fundamental flaws.

This raises the question: what's the real motivation? To me, it seems less about protection and more about monitoring and control, implemented by people too afraid to speak against their superiors.

At nearly 50, I see a UK very different from the one I was born into. One thing I know for sure: once this process begins, it will only worsen, and a new government will maintain these systems and extend them further. We left Europe - but kept every single law! As a nation, we just allow all of this to happen. It’s the British way!

r0ckarong - 6 days ago

Gotta track those breadlines

wartywhoa23 - 6 days ago

First they deliberately flood Europe and UK with illegal immigrants.

Then they demand that native citizens accept digital ID to solve that manufactured problem.

But truly their evil genius lies in the fact that a hefty part of natives will dismiss and mock everyone who tells them this as a conspiracy theorist.

frobisher - 5 days ago

zero-knowledge proofssss baybayyyyyyy

tim333 - 6 days ago

Presenter:

>digital id will be made mandatory for all adults in an effort to tackle small boats

WTF? It's obvious when a small boat of Africans turns up they are not Brits and making Brits carry ID will make zero difference there.

jauntywundrkind - 6 days ago

It's just so frakking disappointing for a there to finally be a huge labor landslide in 2024 then for their leaders to turn around and be ongoingly in bed just the same with right wing fascism. There was such a clear mandate for something different something better something good, and it's such a stark betrayal, such a vile repudiation than republicanism is ever going to be acceptable to see such a mass betrayal such a hard sell out. To Palantir grade fascist information overloading control that Kier would commit to. Ugly gross time line of no good. One would kind of hope winning elections might meet something better than right wing fascist over-control, but no, not here. Disgraceful.

louloulou - 5 days ago

Problem. Reaction. Solution.

morningmike - 6 days ago

this is corny and weird. feels like cyberpunk, government run oligarchy. however, maybe this will improve the UK and stop all the illegals. about time they clean up that country. yuck

varispeed - 5 days ago

This is just another pillar of fascist Britain. Developed mostly by multinational corporations in bed with government, hosted on private servers presumably under Cloud Act.

Labour has sold British citizens to corporations.

dfedbeef - 6 days ago

Wanna bet lol

ihsw - 6 days ago

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irishmanlondon - 6 days ago

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waltercool - 6 days ago

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gorgoiler - 6 days ago

I hope the card will include an asymmetric digital signature from a government authority. That way, concerned members of the public will be able to verify anyone else’s Brit Card.

This would in turn enable citizen-operated checkpoints to verify the Britishness of food delivery drivers, mosque worshipers, suspected pedos, anyone who smells a bit too much like curry or garlic, or blokes what look funny like they aint from round ere.

Marvellous! /s

g0db1t - 6 days ago

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bumseltagbaerbi - 6 days ago

Vote Labour respectively a "people's worker party", get this.

somelamer567 - 6 days ago

HARD eye-roll at the libertarian scaremongering about this basic, sensible idea to tame the identity mess.

* I have half a dozen different ID numbers for various things like NI, NHS, drivers license, tax etc

* I also have a dozen different GOV.UK logins for various services.

* When need to provide strong proof of identity to AWS to reset a root password, I have to go to a notary and pay £200 for a signature and stamp and then scan the paperwork into an email.

The antis, as always, are clutching at straws. At what point does this stop being acceptable because of libertarian vibes and scaremongering about 'Big Brother' -- especially when most of the rest of the world has had ID cards for decades?

ktosobcy - 6 days ago

UK's (and USA's) aversion to state ID is quite amusing... and then solving everything that not-having-national-ID causes requires absurd solutions... but hey "ID is the worst thing ever"

prmph - 6 days ago

I don't know what western countries are thinking. The concept of an isolated nation state is fast approaching obsolescence. Very soon, it will be clear that it is meaningless to put strong restrictions on the free movement of people. And history shows that an emphasis on keeping people out is a precursor to the decline of an empire.

One thing I never understand: if people want to come to your country, that is a vote for the idea that you are doing something right. So, why not use for good? Why not designate a area of the country for the immigrants to initially settle in, using your laws and structures to provide them a better way to live? They are usually very hungry to work. Or, why not band up with other countries to establish refuge cities where the immigrants can initially settle and build new lives?

You never hear of the US etc investing in infrastructure in African countries, for e.g., it is always about a militarization effort to contain supposed terrorists.

Keeping people out betrays that your "success" is built on the back of exfiltrating resources from around the world and concentrating it in your countries, thus keeping the rest of the world poor.