posh.wiki / blog

The UK is back at it again on the road to technocracy.

You know, I used to not have to give half a shit about domestic politics. Good times.

On Friday 26 September, 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to implement a digital ID that will become mandatory for Right to Work Checks, (from the Prime Minister's office](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-digital-id-scheme-to-be-rolled-out-across-uk)). This comes alongside existing plans for digital wallets (which are already a thing), and digital driving licenses.

The government aims to implement this "by the end of the Parliament". They don't clarify when this is in their post, but per the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022, it must happen before August 2029 (based on this Parliament's first sitting in July 2024). In other words, July 2029 is currently our best case scenario.

One of the major selling points here is a promise to reduce illegal employment, which they say will in turn reduce illegal immigration. This is clearly an empty promise. Legal and reputable employers already require a passport or national insurance number to prove that prospective employees have the right to work in the UK. Most workers without the right to work are paid cash in hand, and their employers aren't going to start asking for digital ID either.

The government reports that they will make efforts to include those experiencing tech poverty in this scheme, however no matter what they do, many people with the Right to Work will remain unable to access a digital ID. Failing even one person here would be unacceptable. Additionally, they claim that the digital ID will streamline access to essential services such as "childcare and welfare", which are relied upon disproportionately by those who will struggle to use a digital ID. If services then decide to make this ID mandatory, it will leave the most vulnerable groups completely unable to get the help they need.

They promise "state of the art encryption", but contradict themselves. They say, "The digital ID system is designed with best-in-class security at its core," but also, "In designing the digital ID scheme, the government will..." - so is the scheme designed already, or not? To announce this new scheme before a complete security and risk assessment is terribly short sighted. They even dare to compare it to the NHS app, which for most holds far less sensitive information, and contactless mobile payments, which are secured by those with far more cybersecurity experience and expertise than the UK government.

For the vast majority of people, the most secure location to store personal data is on offline physical media in their home or on their person. A cybercriminal would find it incredibly difficult to pick your pocket or enter your home to get any form of ID from you. A digital ID makes it a matter of guessing your password, which for most people, will be something insecure and discernible within moments - or, worse yet, a single breach of the government's data could compromise a majority of the nearly 70 million people living here. This will allow cyber-criminals, and those to whom they may sell their spoils, access to sensitive information including your legal name, date of birth, nationality and residency, ID photo, and potentially further information such as your address. While the government claims that the digital ID scheme might save them money by "reducing fraud and leakages in welfare schemes" as has happened in India, it will also facilitate other forms of fraud, which victimise people more directly.

With the current direction being taken by the UK government, allowing the digital ID app to be installed on your phone may be inadvisable. At any point, the government may choose to update the app to go beyond its initial purpose - for example, they might send some telemetry when you open the app at a liquor store to verify your age and sell that data to your insurance provider to drive up your car insurance premiums, or they may scan the files on your device, looking for illegal or dissenting content, exfiltrating and compromising data you thought was private.

Finally, used in combination with the proposed digital wallet (which, again, as the government admits, has already been implemented rather securely by non-government organisations), this could be used to track your purchases and associate them with your identity - information which could be sold, stolen, or used to prosecute or retaliate against you.

The government claim that they "will listen to a range of views on how the service will be delivered", so tell them your views. Sign this petition, which already has 2 million signatures just a day after the announcement of the new scheme. The Liberal Democrats are also arranging a petition, though historically the government has not acknowledged petitions other than those on parliament.uk. Additionally, write to or email your local MP to express your opposition to the mandatory digital ID due to its ineffectiveness in meeting its proposed goals and its risk of becoming a tool for mass surveillance and violation of personal privacy.