LONDON

The UK government on Friday announced plans to make digital ID mandatory for anyone seeking to work in the country, as part of efforts to tackle illegal migration.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the new scheme would make it harder to work illegally in the UK.

“I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country,” he said in a statement. “A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering.”

He added: “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.”

The government said the digital ID system will combat criminal gangs who exploit people with false promises of access to the UK labor market and will streamline right-to-work checks.

Officials hope the scheme will simplify processes, increase compliance, reduce forged documents, and create intelligence data on businesses that hire illegally.

Building on the digital wallet already underway, the digital ID will sit on people’s phones alongside the digital driving license, which the government has also announced plans to introduce.

A public consultation will be launched later this year, engaging with groups less familiar with digital services, including the homeless and older people.

Officials said lessons will be drawn from countries that have implemented similar systems successfully.

Citizens will not be required to carry their ID or produce it in day-to-day life, but it will be mandatory for proving the right to work in the UK by the end of the current Parliament, expected by 2029 at the latest.

The digital ID is expected to include a person’s name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo, with a consultation considering whether addresses should also be included.

Opposition parties have criticized the plan. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said it would “make law-abiding people jump through more hoops and employers have more red tape.”

The scheme comes amid continued political pressure to address illegal migration, with more than 50,000 migrants arriving on small boats since Labour came to power.