Overview

• The government confirms the credential would be required for Right to Work checks but not compulsory to possess, with police barred from demanding it during stop-and-search.
• Technology Secretary Liz Kendall says the system will be built in-house, a public consultation will start before year-end, and ministers argue it could streamline access to services, though no costings were provided.
• A parliamentary petition opposing digital ID has surpassed 2.8 million signatures, and a London protest has been announced for October 18 by the Mass Non-Compliance campaign.
• Local and national critics warn of digital exclusion for rural communities and people without reliable internet or smartphones, and civil-liberties groups raise concerns about privacy, data security and mission creep.
• Liberal Democrats cite Commons Library figures showing £31.8 billion tied up in Amber or Red-rated government IT projects, warning digital ID could become another costly failure without a published impact assessment.