Overview
- King Charles III confirmed in Wednesday’s King’s Speech that ministers will move forward with a national Digital ID as part of the Digital Access to Services Bill.
- The government says the ID will be voluntary and free, yet guidance makes it a required document for employer right‑to‑work checks to deter illegal working.
- The credential would live on a user’s phone and include name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo for biometric checks, with the ability to revoke and reissue if a phone is lost.
- Officials say police will not be able to demand to see a digital ID, and they note design work continues after a public consultation closed last week, with a People’s Panel running until June 21.
- Supporters of strong safeguards point to Estonia’s model and call for open-source code, distributed data storage, and cross‑party backing, while critics warn of privacy risks and potential mission creep.