Digital ID has the potential to make all of our lives easier and put more power and control in the hands of people – from booking appointments or applying for benefits online to proving your age or opening bank accounts.

Many of us, for many years, already share vast quantities of our personal data through the use of services like Tesco ClubCard, library cards, apps and passports to access benefits and save time.

Any of us who have used social media provide huge amounts of our personal data to the social media companies every single day.

But having multiple forms of ID across different services is not only inefficient and bureaucratic, but it also opens the door to fraud and abuse.

Too many people still struggle to prove who they are. Currently, around one in ten UK citizens don’t have photo ID, and many face exclusion from essential services. Meanwhile, fragmented systems across government make it harder to access support and easier for criminals to exploit gaps, particularly in areas like illegal working.

To address these challenges, we will introduce a new Digital ID, issued under the National Digital Identity Programme. It will be free for all UK citizens and legal residents aged sixteen and over.

Initially, we are proposing that this be used for right-to-work checks, and by the end of this Parliament, employers will be required to use the new Digital ID to verify employment eligibility. This will help tackle illegal working and reduce exploitation by criminal gangs who view the UK labour market as easily exploitable. The new system will be simplified and more secure.

Most employers already follow the rules, but remote checks for UK citizens can cost over £10 per check. This system will reduce costs, cut paperwork, and remove the risk of fake documents, simplifying the process for employers, whilst making the system more secure for employees.

It will not be compulsory to have a digital ID, but you will need one to enable employers to check you have the right to work, for example, when you are starting a new job.

The new Digital ID will build on platforms like GOV.UK One Login and GOV.UK Wallet, helping to modernise how people interact with government. It could allow access to services like benefits, tax records and healthcare without needing multiple logins or physical documents, saving valuable time.

Given that 44% of respondents in a recent digital identity survey have already used digital identity services, and 75% of UK adults now access banking primarily through smartphone or tablet apps, using digital tools like those proposed in this system is already a very familiar part of everyday life for many.

International examples show how beneficial this can be. For instance, Estonia’s system reportedly saves each citizen hours every month by streamlining unnecessary bureaucracy, and the move to becoming a digital society has saved between 1% and 2% of the country’s GDP, freeing up funds to spend on vital public services.

As we consult on this, a top priority is ensuring that we follow the highest possible data security standards through all stages of implementation. We are committed to making sure that the new Digital ID follows best practice to protect the security of government services and that it keeps pace with the changing cyber threat landscape.

It’s equally important to understand what the Digital ID proposals are not. They are not about surveillance or mandatory facial recognition. They are designed to enhance convenience, not control. The emphasis is on user consent, data protection, and giving people secure, non-bureaucratic access to services—not state surveillance.

Just like a passport or driving licence, the Digital ID will simply be a modern way to prove who you are. Only relevant information will be shared in particular circumstances, and if a digital ID is lost or stolen, it can be quickly revoked and reissued, unlike physical documents.

Where needed, a physical, digitally-enabled version will be available for those who genuinely cannot use a digital ID. This is a real opportunity to make services more accessible to those who would otherwise be excluded from accessing the support they need in everyday life.

In the coming weeks, we will launch a public consultation and work closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders to co-design the programme. After this, we will seek to bring forward primary legislation to underpin this system.