Overview

• The Financial Times and other outlets report the prime minister is preparing to move forward on a national digital ID, with an announcement possible at the Labour conference this month, though the timetable could still change.
• Options under discussion include issuing a digital credential to all people legally entitled to live in the UK, including citizens and those with immigration status, with a narrower rollout also being considered.
• The credential would most likely be used for right-to-work verification and rental checks in a bid to crack down on illegal working and reduce perceived pull factors for migrants.
• A government spokesperson said the UK is committed to expanding technology that eases access to services and will assess serious proposals on digital ID, pointing to e‑visas and the NHS app as existing tools.
• Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and other ministers have voiced support, while civil liberties groups, opposition politicians and some Labour MPs argue IDs would not stop small-boat crossings and pose privacy and discrimination risks.