Polls | Fact Checker | Support Us
Sign In | Join Free |
UK FACT CHECK POLITICS

UK FACT CHECK POLITICS

 Voting intention Reform Ref 23% Con Con 21% Labour Lab 20% Green Grn 14% Lib Dem LD 12% Poll tracker
Menu
Categories
Latest
Support Us
About
Get Involved
Account
Follow Us
bbc.co.uk 19 July 2026 at 10:14

What are digital ID cards, how will they work and will they be mandatory?

View original article →
92
Trust Score

Highly Reliable

Confidence: High

Standard
Emotional Tone Low
How emotionally charged the language is (low is neutral)
Reading Level Advanced
Suitable for age 17+ readers (grade 12)
Article Length Very long
2,092 words
Caps & Emphasis Moderate
3.9% of words are capitalised (high can indicate sensationalism)

Executive Summary

This BBC explainer on the UK government's proposed digital ID scheme is a high-reliability, well-sourced piece of public-service journalism. Every material factual claim examined was independently corroborated by primary sources (GOV.UK, UK Parliament petition and committee pages, Estonian government/e-Estonia records) and multiple reputable secondary outlets (ITV News, EFF, Institute for Government, House of Lords Library). Key verified facts include: the scheme will be mandatory for right-to-work checks, is to be rolled out before the end of the current Parliament (no later than August 2029), will not apply retrospectively (only affecting new job applicants after the ~2028 introduction), covers those aged 16+ with a consultation on ages 13-16, and the petition against it exceeded 2.9 million signatures and was debated in Parliament. Historical context (2006 Act repealed in 2011, wartime cards scrapped by Churchill's government in 1952) and the Estonia comparison (mandatory digital ID since 2002) are accurate. The article is balanced, attributes quotations to named figures, presents both supportive and critical viewpoints, and uses measured, low-emotion language. The only minor deductions relate to the article's inherent time sensitivity (a fast-moving policy area where subsequent developments, e.g. reported political reversals, post-date the piece) rather than any factual error.

Factual Verification

Verified Claims

  • Sir Keir Starmer defended government plans to introduce digital ID and said the system would 'cut the faff' in proving identity - corroborated by ITV News and EFF reporting of his September 2025 announcement.
  • The scheme is to be rolled out 'by the end of the Parliament', with the next general election required by law no later than August 2029 - confirmed by EFF/GOV.UK context.
  • Starmer said 'You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID' - directly corroborated by the on-record YouTube/ITV quote of his announcement.
  • The requirement will not be applied retrospectively; existing workers only need it when applying for a job after the proposed ~2028 introduction - confirmed by EFF ('will only take effect after the scheme's proposed introduction in 2028, rather than retrospectively').
  • Digital ID will be an app-based system stored on smartphones (compared to NHS App / digital bank cards) and will hold residency status, name, date of birth, nationality and photo - consistent with GOV.UK digital ID scheme explainer.
  • Employers will no longer be able to rely on a National Insurance number or paper-based checks for right-to-work verification - consistent with government right-to-work check statements.
  • Digital ID will be available to UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 or over, mandatory for work but optional for students, pensioners and others not seeking employment - confirmed by ITV News and Namibian/Yahoo reporting of government statements.
  • The government will consult on whether children aged 13-16 should be included, since many already work part-time - confirmed by ITV News (10 Oct 2025) and government petition response.
  • It will not be required to access medical services / hospital or benefits - confirmed by Yahoo News UK reporting of ministers' statements.
  • More than 2.9 million people signed the UK Parliament petition against digital ID cards; petitions over 100,000 signatures are considered for debate - confirmed by UK Parliament Petitions Committee (petition 730194) which was debated on 8 December 2025.
  • Big Brother Watch, alongside seven other organisations (eight in total), wrote to the PM saying the plan would 'push unauthorised migrants further into the shadows' - corroborated by CPBML and Express & Star reporting of the letter.
  • Former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis criticised the scheme, warning no system is immune to failure - corroborated by Big Brother Watch / Security Matters reporting of his remarks.
  • Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said his party would 'fight tooth and nail' against the scheme - corroborated by BISI report.
  • Kemi Badenoch acknowledged arguments 'for and against' digital ID while opposing mandating it - corroborated by her own X/Twitter statement.
  • Estonia introduced its mandatory digital ID system in 2002, used for medical records, voting, banking and digital signatures - confirmed by e-Estonia (Wikipedia) and arXiv e-voting paper.
  • Tony Blair's Labour government legislated for ID cards (Identity Cards Act 2006); around 15,000 cards were issued before the scheme was repealed in 2011 by the Conservative-led coalition on cost/intrusiveness grounds - confirmed by Wikipedia, Institute for Government and House of Lords Library.
  • Compulsory ID cards existed during wartime (introduced 1939) and were scrapped by Winston Churchill's government in 1952 after criticism about cost and police use - confirmed by Adam Smith Institute and Big Brother Watch (21 February 1952).

Unverified Claims

  • The precise characterisation that the 2000s Blair-era ID cards were 'voluntary' is a slight simplification: the Identity Cards Act 2006 envisaged eventual compulsion linked to passports, though enrolment was voluntary in practice before repeal - broadly accurate but nuance not fully captured; treated as substantially correct rather than false.
  • The article's brief thumbnail descriptions of the Australian, Danish, Indian, and other countries' systems (Singapore, Greece, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UAE, China, Costa Rica, South Korea, Afghanistan) were not individually verified in this assessment beyond the Estonia case; they are plausible and consistent with widely reported facts but are marked Unverified for completeness.
  • Starmer's assertions that the scheme will 'save money overall', 'absolutely have very strong encryption', and would never be used as a surveillance tool are attributed political claims/opinions, not independently verifiable facts; correctly presented by the article as his statements.

Disputed / False Claims

  • No claims in the article were found to be false on the basis of primary or multiple reputable secondary sources.

Bias & Presentation

Detected Biases:

  • Institutional/establishment framing typical of a government-policy explainer: leads with the PM's defence and rationale before critics.
  • Selection balance is generally even-handed, quoting Conservative (Badenoch), Liberal Democrat (Davey), civil liberties groups (Big Brother Watch) and a Conservative critic (David Davis).
  • Minor optimism-tilt in reporting government promises ('inclusive', 'strong encryption', 'save money') as statements, though these are attributed rather than asserted as fact.
  • Omission bias: the article does not deeply interrogate cost estimates or technical feasibility, though this is consistent with an explainer format.

Language Patterns

Emotional manipulation: 0.08

Confidence

Level: High

All high-priority factual claims were corroborated by at least one primary source and/or multiple reputable secondary sources with dates, satisfying the guardrail threshold. The article's core assertions - mandatory-for-work status, non-retrospective application, timeline to 2029, age thresholds and 13-16 consultation, the 2.9m-signature petition, historical repeal in 2011, the 1952 abolition, and Estonia's 2002 mandatory digital ID - were all verified. Confidence is High rather than Maximum because (a) a minority of comparative international descriptions were not individually verified, (b) the topic is fast-moving and subject to post-publication developments, and (c) some attributed political claims (cost savings, encryption, non-surveillance) are inherently non-verifiable statements rather than facts.

Search Journal

Query: UK digital ID scheme Starmer announcement September 2025

Query: Starmer digital ID not retrospective existing workers new job right to work 2028

Query: digital ID petition parliament 2.9 million signatures debate

Query: digital ID app residency status name date of birth nationality photo NHS app

Query: digital ID 16 or over optional students pensioners consult children 13 16

Query: UK ID cards wartime Churchill scrapped 1952 cost police

Query: Identity Cards Act 2006 repealed 2010 2011 too expensive intrusive coalition

Query: Estonia mandatory ID card 2002 digital identity

Query: Kemi Badenoch digital ID national debate mandatory Ed Davey fight tooth and nail

Query: Big Brother Watch letter digital ID unauthorised migrants shadows David Davis

Article Content

[BBC Homepage](

* [Skip to content]( * [Accessibility Help](

* [Sign in](

* [Home]( * [News]( * [Sport]( * [Earth]( * [Reel]( * [Worklife]( * [Travel]( * [Culture]( * [Future]( * [Music]( * [TV]( * [Weather]( * [Sounds](

[More menu](

[More menu](

[Search BBC](

* [Home]( * [News]( * [Sport]( * [Earth]( * [Reel]( * [Worklife]( * [Travel]( * [Culture]( * [Future]( * [Music]( * [TV]( * [Weather]( * [Sounds](

Close menu

[BBC News](

[Menu](

* [Home]( * [Climate]( * [World]( * [US & Canada]( * [UK]( * [Business]( * [Tech]( * [Science]( * [Entertainment & Arts]( * [Health](

[More](

* [In Pictures]( * [BBC Verify]( * [Newsbeat](

## Get the news, your way

Sign in for podcasts, documentaries and analysis

[Sign in](

or[Register](

Continue with Google

Maybe later

# What is the plan for digital IDs and will they be mandatory?

Image source, Getty Images

By Rachel Hagan

* Published 26 September 2025

Updated 23 October 2025

**Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government's plans to introduce digital ID cards across the UK.**

He told the BBC the new system would "cut the faff" for people trying to prove their identity in a range of scenarios, as well as showing they have to the right to work.

The government says the scheme will be rolled-out "by the end of the Parliament" - meaning before the next general election, which by law [must be held no later than August 2029.](

## Why is the government introducing digital ID and will it be compulsory?

Once introduced, digital ID will be used to verify a person's right to live and work in the UK.

It will take the form of an app-based system, stored on smartphones in a similar way to the NHS App or digital bank cards.

The ID will include information on the holders' residency status, name, date of birth, nationality and their photo.

When he first announced the scheme, Sir Keir said: "You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID. It's as simple as that."

However, the government subsequently told the BBC that the requirement for ID won't be applied retrospectively, with UK workers only needing it when they apply for a job after its proposed introduction by 2028.

Nonetheless, ministers insist it curb illegal immigration by making it harder for people without status to find jobs, which the government argues is a reason some migrants enter the UK illegally.

Employers will no longer be able to rely on a National Insurance (NI) number - which is currently used as part of proof of right to work - or paper-based checks.

At the moment, it is possible to borrow, steal or use someone else's National Insurance number. Having a picture attached to the ID should - in theory - make it harder to abuse the system.

However, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said that while there were arguments "for and against" digital ID, making it mandatory "requires a proper national debate".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said his party would "fight tooth and nail" against the scheme which would "add to our tax bills and bureaucracy, whilst doing next to nothing to tackle channel crossings".

* [New digital ID will be mandatory to work in the UK](

* Published 26 September 2025

* [Will digital ID cards stop illegal working?](

* Published 26 September 2025

* [Digital veteran card could be case study for ID rollout, says minister](

* Published 17 October 2025

## What else could digital ID be used for?

Image source, Reuters

Image caption,

Sir Keir told the BBC that the new system would help combat fraud as well as identifying those working illegally

Digital ID will be available to all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 or over, and will be mandatory in order to work.

However, it will be optional for students, pensioners or others not seeking employment.

The government [will consult on whether children aged between 13 and 16-years-old should be included the scheme]( since many already work part-time.

Officials have stressed it will not function like a traditional identity card, and people will not be required to carry it in public.

Sir Keir also confirmed that you wouldn't need a digital ID to access medical services or go to hospital.

But the system is being designed to integrate with some government services, to make applications simpler and reduce fraud.

In time, the government said that digital IDs would make it easier to apply for services such as driving licences, childcare and welfare, and to access your tax records.

It added the ID could also be used to "streamline verification processes across private sectors" - such as when opening a bank account or buying or renting property.

Asked about the cost of the scheme, Sir Keir told the BBC he expected digital ID would save money overall "because it stops fraud".

## How will digital ID work for people without smartphones?

The government has promised the system will be "inclusive" and work for those without smartphones, passports or reliable internet access.

A public consultation expected to be launched later in 2025 will include looking at alternatives - potentially including physical documents or face-to-face support - for groups such as older people or the homeless.

## Why are some people against digital IDs?

Civil liberties groups argue that even a limited digital ID could pave the way for a more intrusive system, raising concerns about privacy, data security and government overreach.

Big Brother Watch, alongside seven other organisations, wrote to the prime minister urging him to abandon the plan, saying it would "push unauthorised migrants further into the shadows".

More than 2.9 million people have signed a petition against introducing digital ID cards, [on the UK Parliament website, external]( Petitions that get more than 100,000 signatures are considered for a debate in Parliament.

Other prominent critics include the former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis. He said "no system is immune to failure" and warned that governments and tech companies have repeatedly failed to protect people's data.

Sir Keir denied that digital ID would ever be used as a surveillance tool - and said the scheme would "absolutely have very strong encryption".

For additional security, the ID will be held on individual devices rather than be stored in third party data centres.

## Which other countries already have ID cards?

The UK government has said it will "take the best aspects" of digital ID systems used elsewhere around the world, including Estonia, Australia, Denmark and India.

Each of these countries has its own unique system, but they all let people prove who they are when accessing government or banking services.

* Estonia introduced its mandatory digital ID system in 2002, and people use it to access medical records, voting, banking and digital signatures. It's primarily stored on peoples' smartphones as a digital version of an ID card

* Australia and Denmark have digital ID apps that people can download and use to log into government and private services. Neither require citizens to have it

* India has a system through which people can obtain a unique 12-digit reference number to use as proof of residence and identity

Many other countries also use some form of digital ID, including Singapore, Greece, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Arab Emirates, China, Costa Rica, South Korea and Afghanistan.

## Has the UK tried to introduce ID cards before?

Tony Blair's Labour government legislated for voluntary ID cards in the early 2000s.

However, the scheme was scrapped in 2011 by the Conservative-led coalition, which argued it was too expensive and intrusive.

The UK has only had compulsory ID cards during wartime.

Although they stayed in place for several years after World War Two, Winston Churchill's government scrapped them in 1952 after criticism about the cost and police use.

## Related topics

* [Identity theft]( * [Keir Starmer]( * [UK immigration](

## The video playlist

Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC

Previous Next, 4 of 18

* 1:01 How to use your loved ones' clothes to keep their memory alive. 00:01:01, play video How to use your loved ones' clothes to keep their memory alive * 0:45 BBC's Guy Mowbray on how to commentate a football game. 00:00:45, play video BBC's Guy Mowbray on how to commentate a football game * 0:43 Paddington star worried height would hinder her career. 00:00:43, play video Paddington star worried height would hinder her career * 1:18 Young engineers take on Red Bull Soapbox Race. 00:01:18, play video Young engineers take on Red Bull Soapbox Race * 1:04'I invented the Mexican Wave' 00:01:04, play video'I invented the Mexican Wave' * 0:49 Too hot to fly: the airports at risk from climate change. 00:00:49, play video Too hot to fly: the airports at risk from climate change * 0:52 Will you watch England v France? 00:00:52, play video Will you watch England v France? * 1:35 Why listening to birdsong is good for you. 00:01:35, play video Why listening to birdsong is good for you * 1:24'You can really figure out who you are': London's Ballroom scene. 00:01:24, play video'You can really figure out who you are': London's Ballroom scene * 0:26 Manchesterism - what is it? 00:00:26, play video Manchesterism - what is it? * 0:54 When does Andy Burnham become prime minister? 00:00:54, play video When does Andy Burnham become prime minister? * 0:56 Trump alleges other countries are interfering in US elections. 00:00:56, play video Trump alleges other countries are interfering in US elections * 0:28 UK heatwave hits two-week mark. 00:00:28, play video UK heatwave hits two-week mark * 0:31 Burnham 'ready' to be new Labour leader. 00:00:31, play video Burnham 'ready' to be new Labour leader * 0:37 Will the heatwave end this weekend? 00:00:37, play video Will the heatwave end this weekend? * 1:00 Newborn babies in England to be tested for SMA. 00:01:00, play video Newborn babies in England to be tested for SMA * 1:26 Zelensky's removal of defence minister sparks protests in Ukraine. 00:01:26, play video Zelensky's removal of defence minister sparks protests in Ukraine * 1:29 Disabled Jersey golfer to represent Europe. 00:01:29, play video Disabled Jersey golfer to represent Europe

## Top stories

* [Burnham to scrap digital ID to focus on cost of living in first major policy pledge](

* Published 1 hour ago

* [Live. World Cup 2026: Bellingham? Kane? Spence? Vote for England's best player](

* 7698 viewing 7.7k viewing

* [Tate brothers arrested in US as further UK charges take total to 59](

* Published 33 minutes ago

## More to explore

* [Why some women are being driven out of the workplace by an illness]( * [My ice hockey dream is taking me 3,000 miles from home]( ![Image 23: Molly has long brown curly hair and is holding her ice hockey stick. She is standing outside and is wearing a navy T-shirt. ]( * [16 World Cup viral moments - from Posh Spice's nonchalance to Haaland's bromance]( * [I'll lose my bowel because my pain was dismissed until my husband spoke up]( * [Birthmark no barrier for young footballing TV star]( * [I took a month of unpaid leave to look after my daughter for the summer holiday - here's why]( * [Brad Pitt's children are dropping their dad's surname - here's why I did the same]( * [Conman targeted the elderly to defraud them out of millions]( * [Get news, tips and ideas for your family with our Summer Essential newsletter](

## Elsewhere on the BBC

* [What Has the BBC Ever Done for Me?]( * [A comic speedrun through Homer's Odyssey]( * [Have a laugh with Diane Morgan's new comedy, Ann Droid]( * [Katie Razzall speaks to Oscar-winning filmmaker Christopher Nolan](

## Most read

1. 1[Tate brothers arrested in US as further UK charges take total to 59]( 2. 2[Russia launches major ballistic missile attack on Kyiv]( 3. 3[New EU border system tripling time at passport control, airport boss says]( 4. 4[Burnham to scrap digital ID to focus on cost of living in first major policy pledge]( 5. 5[Neighbours actor Terence Donovan dies aged 90]( 6. 6[Big cat found in plant pot after two-month search]( 7. 7['Messiah without a mandate' and 'attack of the Argie ants']( 8. 8[The hidden cost of the night shift and how to sleep it off]( 9. 9[Why some women are being driven out of the workplace by an illness]( 10. 10[Private jets flock to Montana - but locals can't afford the trailer park](

## BBC News Services

* [On your mobile]( * [On smart speakers]( * [Get news alerts]( * [Contact BBC News](

* [Home]( * [News]( * [Sport]( * [Earth]( * [Reel]( * [Worklife]( * [Travel]( * [Culture]( * [Future]( * [Music]( * [TV]( * [Weather]( * [Sounds](

* [Terms of Use]( * [About the BBC]( * [Privacy Policy]( * [Cookies]( * [Accessibility Help]( * [Parental Guidance]( * [Contact the BBC]( * [BBC emails for you]( * [Advertise with us]( * Do not share or sell my info

Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [Read about our approach to external linking.](

Skip to end of content

Close Modal

Play previous item

Play next item, item 1 of 18, How to use your loved ones' clothes to keep their memory alive, 00:01:01

End of content. Close Modal

Skip to close button

Share this fact check

← Check another article or image