UK to Curb Illegal Migration with Mandatory Digital ID Scheme

The United Kingdom will introduce a mandatory digital identity system as part of a sweeping plan to tackle illegal migration and modernise access to public services, Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed on Friday. The system, which has been dubbed the “Brit Card” in political circles, is designed to make it harder for undocumented migrants to gain employment and to provide British citizens and residents with a streamlined way to prove their identity when dealing with employers and government services.

The proposed digital ID will be free and stored on a user’s smartphone via a government application, according to officials. Its first and most significant use will be in employment checks, where it will serve as the compulsory means of proving a right to work. Ministers argue that by cutting off access to legitimate work opportunities, the scheme will remove one of the main incentives for people who enter or remain in the country illegally. Beyond employment, the digital identity is also expected to be integrated into wider services over time, including welfare, childcare, tax and potentially housing.

While the government has insisted that individuals will not be forced to physically carry or present the ID in everyday life, the system will be legally binding in specific areas, beginning with labour market compliance. Supporters of the policy claim it will help build a modern identity infrastructure, reduce fraud, and cut bureaucratic red tape for ordinary citizens. Starmer described the initiative as an “enormous opportunity” for Britain, adding that it reflects his government’s determination to act on immigration concerns while delivering more efficient governance.

The proposal has already sparked a polarised reaction. Civil liberties organisations such as Liberty have warned that mandatory digital identification risks giving excessive power to the state and could undermine privacy and individual rights. Critics also argue that many forms of illegal work in the UK occur outside formal systems, often paid in cash, and therefore may not be directly curtailed by digital verification. Political opposition has come from both the right and left: Conservative and Reform UK figures have dismissed the scheme as a bureaucratic distraction, while Sinn Féin and other parties in Northern Ireland have voiced concerns about its compatibility with cross-border arrangements under the Good Friday Agreement.

There are also questions over digital inclusion. Not all residents own smartphones or have access to reliable internet, raising fears that vulnerable people could be excluded. Officials say fallback options will be explored, but no detailed plan has yet been published. Data security, storage and oversight mechanisms are also unresolved issues that will need to be clarified before implementation.

Britain has a complicated history with identity cards. The last Labour government attempted to introduce physical ID cards in the mid-2000s, but the scheme faced fierce public resistance and was scrapped by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010, which went as far as destroying the National Identity Register. Starmer’s government hopes that public attitudes have shifted, with recent polling showing stronger support for digital identity if framed as a tool against illegal migration and for improved service delivery.

The digital ID system is expected to be rolled out in phases, with legislation and consultations taking place before the end of the current Parliament. Government sources have indicated that full implementation may not occur until the latter part of the decade. Until then, debates over privacy, inclusion, and effectiveness are likely to dominate the political landscape, with the “Brit Card” set to become one of the most contested reforms of the Starmer government.