In a bid to pilot its rising digital id infrastructure, the UK authorities immediately launched a digital model of the Armed Forces Veteran Card, marking the primary government-issued credential to be delivered by means of the Gov.uk One Login app.
Some 1.8 million former service personnel will now have the choice to carry their veteran credential on their smartphones, enabling extra seamless proof of standing throughout public companies, charitable organisations, and retail reductions.
Via this check, the federal government says it’s going to assess the technical, safety, and user-experience challenges earlier than scaling as much as subject digital variations of driving licences, id checks, and different credentials
Veterans’ organisations such because the Royal British Legion have welcomed the transfer, saying it might enhance entry to companies and scale back obstacles.
Nevertheless, the scheme has provoked criticism. Some veteran teams have warned that utilizing their group as a testing floor raises moral and privateness considerations.
Extra broadly, opposition is mounting from civil liberties advocates, privateness campaigners, and segments of all main political events. Critics argue this digital credentials initiative dangers centralising delicate private information, undermining anonymity, and enabling state overreach.
The digital ID proposal is a part of Sir Keir Starmer ’s wider plan, unveiled in September 2025, to require digital ID for eligibility to work and to modernise public service transactions.
The prime minister defined that the rollout of the ‘Brit Card’ will assist residents show their authorized proper to dwell and work within the UK.
Set to be rolled out earlier than the tip of this Labour government, folks will likely be required to point out their Brit Card when making use of for housing or after they land a brand new job.
The Tony Blair Institute has touted the brand new digital playing cards as a strategy to “shut loopholes that trafficking gangs and unscrupulous employers presently exploit, decreasing pull components driving unlawful migration to Britain and restoring management over borders.”
Blair’s authorities had initially proposed digital ID playing cards, however the coverage was shelved earlier than being lately revived by Starmer, who claims it will counter unlawful migration.
Talking concerning the information, Starmer mentioned: “I do know working individuals are anxious concerning the degree of unlawful migration into this nation. A safe border and managed migration are affordable calls for, and this authorities is listening and delivering.
“Digital ID is a gigantic alternative for the UK. It’ll make it harder to work illegally on this nation, making our borders safer.
“And it’ll additionally provide abnormal residents numerous advantages, like with the ability to show your id to entry key companies swiftly – somewhat than looking round for an outdated utility invoice.”
Right here’s all you have to know.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says digital ID playing cards will present an ‘huge alternative’ for the UK (Alamy/PA)
Why is Labour introducing digital ID within the UK?
Based on Labour Collectively, the Brit Card must be seen as residents as “proof that they belong.”
The report says, “it will help higher enforcement of migration guidelines, and shield susceptible British residents from being wrongly denied their rights.
“It might finish id exclusion, resolving uncertainty and danger for these whose standing is unsure, and offering a fast, safe, privacy-preserving means for everybody to confirm their id and their migration standing when coping with authorities, when taking on a brand new job, or taking over property.”
Quite a lot of studies are saying this might assist curb unlawful migration, but it surely’s value noting that it’s not illegal for folks to request asylum after they come to the UK.
Given that may solely declare asylum whenever you set foot on UK shores, it’s unlikely that this digital card will deter folks from coming to the UK within the first place.
It could make it tougher for folks whose asylum requests have been denied to remain within the UK, but it surely additionally might not deter employers who rent workers members and pay them off the books.
Regardless of this, some Brits seem open to the thought of getting digital ID playing cards.
Who wants the digital ID card?
Based on studies, each working grownup within the UK will likely be required to have a government-issued digital ID card.
It doesn’t matter in case you’re born within the UK or abroad, and it’ll be free to all adults eligible to dwell and work within the UK.
We don’t know a lot about how this course of will likely be rolled out simply but, and it’ll probably take a while earlier than issues are enacted.
If it’s something just like the Veteran card that’s presently being rolled out, the Brit card will accessible through the Gov.uk One Login app.
Based on Labour Immediately, the rollout might value anyplace between £140m and £400m in taxpayer funds.
We will assume it will most likely work equally to how the NHS COVID app labored, which is downloaded onto smartphones and verified by employers and landlords by means of an app.
Preliminary imagery shared by Labour Immediately exhibits an interface that options an individual’s {photograph} alongside approvals confirming “proper to work” and “proper to lease”.
What occurs in case you don’t get one?
At the moment, there are various questions on how this is able to work in apply.
We don’t know the ultimate particulars but however, there are quite a few loopholes that the federal government might want to tackle.
For instance, not everybody has a smartphone within the first place, or is assured in utilizing digital know-how, notably in the event that they’re aged or disabled.
And what if an individual’s telephone is damaged and even stolen, and they should present a landlord the app, or else they received’t be capable of transfer right into a property on time?
These considerations might result in two-tier entry, the place folks with official rights to dwell and work within the UK face extra challenges, discrimination or allegations that they ‘don’t belong’.
Labour Collectively says it’s vital to “guarantee accessibility for these with low digital abilities and non-smartphone house owners, together with the supply of in-person help channels.” However different options like printable QR codes or on-line portals might be clunky and counter the purpose of going digital within the first place.
It’s additionally unclear at this level whether or not there can be penalties for not getting a digital ID card or whether or not you could be refused entry to companies similar to healthcare.
There may be additionally the broader concern about information safety, and presently, there isn’t any clear plan in place concerning the consent folks may have to supply to entry these ID playing cards.
Based on Large Brother Watch: “This technique would essentially change the character of our relationship with the state and switch the UK right into a “papers, please” society.”
The organisation additionally factors out that there isn’t any clear mandate for such a scheme, and it’s “inconsistent with the values that underpin a free society and poses severe dangers to privateness, safety and equality.”
Nations which have digital ID playing cards
Obligatory ID methods, the place people are required to have a bodily ID card, are comparatively frequent world wide.
Digital variations of this haven’t been broadly rolled out, however nations are engaged on ID methods that do have digital capabilities.
Ought to the digital ID plan proceed, the UK would be part of a handful of different nations that have already got one thing comparable in place.
In Estonia, it’s necessary to carry a bodily ID, however this additionally doubles as a digital ID, the place everybody can entry on-line companies too.
It’s additionally a fairly sturdy programme of identification, with numerous playing cards in place that permit customers to substantiate their id, their transactions, and share digital signatures.
Based on the UK gov, Estonia’s “digital ID has revolutionised mother and father’ lives by enabling entry to baby advantages, well being information and functions for nursery locations seamlessly, by no means having to supply the identical info twice.”
One other nation that seems to have a digital ID system is Ethiopia, the place the Fayda system serves as a digital biometric identification system.
You really need this digital ID to open a checking account in Ethiopia, however it’s nonetheless being rolled out throughout the nation.
