UK has announced a new mandatory digital ID scheme to be launched, as part of a strategy to tackle illegal migration.
Following this announcement, the new digital ID scheme is expected to make it tougher to work in the UK illegally, while also offering benefits to citizens and being `the bedrock of the modern state`.
However, opposition parties also argued the proposals would not stop people from crossing the channel in small boats, while the prime minister set out his plans in a broader speech, in which he mentioned that the process of individuals working illegally in the UK had been `too easy`.
More information on the UK’s strategy for implementing a mandatory digital ID scheme
According to the press release published by the BBC, officials of the government mentioned that the scheme represents a method for the country to recognise where it allowed its parties to shy away from people's concerns and challenges. At the same time, it also mentioned that this initiative does not rely on left-wing politics that exploit labour and undercut fair wages, as the overall simple fact is that every nation needs to have control over its borders.
The government has been under pressure to tackle the issue of illegal migration, with more than 50,000 migrants arriving on small boats since Labour came to power. The scheme is expected to also offer ordinary citizens more benefits, like being able to prove their identity to access key services swiftly, rather than going through the procedure of hunting around for an old utility bill. Labour also believes its new proposal has public support, although more than a million individuals have signed a petition against the idea.
Officials of other parties raised concerns regarding the new strategy, with many believing that the plan will do nothing to stop the boats or that it will end up being leveraged against law-abiding citizens. At the same time, it was also mentioned that the initiative raises concerns about the security ot the data, as it will represent a risk to put the information in one database, as well as mass surveillance and making the country `less free`.
The government said it will focus on ensuring the scheme works for those who are not able to use a smartphone, as well as launch a consultation on how the service will be delivered later in 2025. The overall consultation is expected to last three months, with the legislation process being introduced to Parliament in early 2026.
Furthermore, there will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it. However, digital ID is set to be mandatory as a means of proving the right to work in the region of the UK by the end of the Parliament, expected to be 2029 at the latest.
The new digital ID is set to be held on people's phones, in a similar way to contactless payment cards or the NHS app, while also being expected to include a person's name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo. Furthermore, the process of consultation will also consider whether additional information, such as an address, should be included.
Employers already need to carry out checks on prospective candidates, while it is understood that officials have been exploring whether a digital ID scheme could reduce the abuse of fake documents and provide a more consistent and efficient approach to verifying workers' identity.
The government mentioned that the roll-out would eventually make it simpler to apply for services like driving licences, childcare, and welfare, as well as the overall streamlining of access to tax records.
