Britain is set to drop plans to make it compulsory for workers to have a digital identity document, The Times the newspaper, the BBC and other media reported on Tuesday, potentially marking another political U-turn for the Labor government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced last September that his government would require all employees to have a digital ID in a bid to tackle illegal migration and reduce the threat posed by the populist Reform UK party.
The government said the digital ID would be stored 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 deter illegal migration and others warning it could infringe on civil liberties.
The Times said the government abandoned the plan over concerns it could undermine public confidence in the scheme, noting that when introduced in 2029, digital IDs would be optional rather than mandatory.
Other forms of documentation, such as an electronic visa or passport, will still be valid, The Times said.
“We are committed to mandatory digital right to work controls,” a government spokesman said. “We have always been clear that the details of the digital ID scheme will be determined following a full public consultation, which will be launched shortly.”
The spokesman said the current checks rely on a “hodgepodge” of paper-based systems, with no record of whether they were ever carried out, leaving the process open to fraud and abuse.
If plans for a mandatory digital ID are dropped, it would mark another police ascent for Starmer.
In December, the government scaled back a plan to raise more tax from farmers, months after it backed cuts to welfare spending and scaled back a proposal to reduce subsidies on energy bills for the elderly.
