Britain is to abandon plans to make it compulsory for workers to have a digital ID, The Times newspaper, BBC and other media reported on Tuesday, possibly signaling another policy shift for the Labor government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in September last year that his government would require every employee to have a digital ID in a bid to tackle illegal immigration and reduce the threat from the populist Reform UK party.
The government said the digital ID will be held on people’s mobile phones and become a mandatory part of the checks employers must carry out when hiring staff.
The plan drew criticism from political opponents, with some arguing it would not prevent illegal immigration and others warning it could infringe on civil liberties.
The Times said the government abandoned the plan amid concerns it could undermine public confidence in the system, noting that when introduced in 2029, digital IDs would be optional rather than mandatory.
Other forms of documentation, such as an eVisa or passport, will still be valid, The Times he said.
“We are committed to mandatory digital checks for the right to work,” a government spokesman said. “We have always been clear that the details of the digital identity system will be determined following a full public consultation which will start soon.”
The spokesman said current checks were based on a “dumb” paper-based system with no record of whether they were ever carried out, leaving the process open to fraud and abuse.
If the plans for compulsory digital ID are rejected, it will mark another policy setback for Starmer.
In December, the government scaled back a plan to raise more taxes from farmers, months after it backed down on cuts to social spending and scaled back a proposal to cut subsidies on energy bills for the elderly.
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