Digital ID cards are set to become mandatory for UK citizens in an effort to clamp down on illegal migration, Keir Starmer has announced.
The prime minister explained this week that the rollout of the ‘Brit Card’ will help citizens prove their legal right to live and work in the UK.
Set to be rolled out before the end of this Labour government, people will be required to show their Brit Card when applying for housing or when they land a new job.
The Tony Blair Institute has touted the new digital cards as a way to "close loopholes that trafficking gangs and unscrupulous employers currently exploit, reducing pull factors driving illegal migration to Britain and restoring control over borders."
Blair’s government had initially proposed digital ID cards, but the policy was shelved before being recently revived by Starmer, who claims this will counter illegal migration.
Speaking about the news, Starmer said: "I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country. A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering.
"Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure.
"And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly - rather than hunting around for an old utility bill."
Here’s all you need to know.
Why is Labour introducing digital ID in the UK?
According to Labour Together, the Brit Card should be seen as citizens as “proof that they belong.”
The report says, “it would support better enforcement of migration rules, and protect vulnerable British citizens from being wrongly denied their rights.
“It could end identity exclusion, resolving uncertainty and risk for those whose status is uncertain, and providing a quick, secure, privacy-preserving means for everyone to verify their identity and their migration status when dealing with government, when taking up a new job, or taking on property.”
A lot of reports are saying this could help curb illegal migration, but it’s worth noting that it’s not unlawful for people to request asylum when they come to the UK.
Given that can only declare asylum when you set foot on UK shores, it’s unlikely that this digital card will deter people from coming to the UK in the first place.
It may make it harder for people whose asylum requests have been denied to stay in the UK, but it also may not deter employers who hire staff members and pay them off the books.
Despite this, some Brits appear open to the idea of having digital ID cards.
Who needs the digital ID card?
According to reports, every working adult in the UK will be required to have a government-issued digital ID card.
It doesn’t matter if you're born in the UK or overseas, and it’ll be free to all adults eligible to live and work in the UK.
How to get the Brit Card
We don’t know much about how this process will be rolled out just yet, and it’ll likely take some time before things are enacted.
According to Labour Today, the rollout could cost anywhere between £140m and £400m in taxpayer funds.
We can assume it would probably work similarly to how the NHS COVID app worked, which is downloaded onto smartphones and verified by employers and landlords through an app.
Preliminary imagery shared by Labour Today shows an interface that features a person’s photograph alongside approvals confirming “right to work” and “right to rent”.
What happens if you don’t get one?
Currently, there are many questions about how this would work in practice.
We don’t know the final details yet but, there are numerous loopholes that the government will need to address.
For example, not everyone has a smartphone in the first place, or is confident in using digital technology, particularly if they’re elderly or disabled.
And what if a person’s phone is broken or even stolen, and they need to show a landlord the app, or else they won’t be able to move into a property on time?
These concerns may lead to two-tier access, where people with legitimate rights to live and work in the UK face additional challenges, discrimination or allegations that they ‘don’t belong’.
Labour Together says it’s important to “ensure accessibility for those with low digital skills and non-smartphone owners, including the provision of in-person support channels.” But alternative solutions like printable QR codes or online portals could be clunky and counter the point of going digital in the first place.
It’s also unclear at this point whether there would be penalties for not getting a digital ID card or whether you may be refused access to services such as healthcare.
There is also the broader concern about data security, and currently, there is no clear plan in place regarding the consent people may need to provide to access these ID cards.
According to Big Brother Watch: “This system would fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with the state and turn the UK into a “papers, please” society.”
The organisation also points out that there is no clear mandate for such a scheme, and it is “inconsistent with the values that underpin a free society and poses serious risks to privacy, security and equality.”
Countries that have digital ID cards
Mandatory ID systems, where individuals are required to have a physical ID card, are relatively common around the world.
Digital versions of this haven’t been widely rolled out, but countries are working on ID systems that do have digital capabilities.
Should the digital ID plan proceed, the UK would join a handful of other countries that already have something similar in place.
Estonia
In Estonia, it’s mandatory to hold a physical ID, but this also doubles as a digital ID, where everyone can access online services too.
It’s also a pretty robust programme of identification, with various cards in place that allow users to confirm their identity, their transactions, and share electronic signatures.
According to the UK gov, Estonia’s “digital ID has revolutionised parents’ lives by enabling access to child benefits, health records and applications for nursery places seamlessly, never having to provide the same information twice.”
Ethiopia
Another country that appears to have a digital ID system is Ethiopia, where the Fayda system serves as a digital biometric identification system.
You actually need this digital ID to open a bank account in Ethiopia, but it is still being rolled out across the country.
