Overview

• Reports indicate the prime minister will outline plans on Friday for a “BritCard” to verify the right to live and work, with checks for new hires and, in some reports, renters against a central database.
• The scheme would proceed to a public consultation and would need primary legislation before any rollout.
• Digital IDs are expected to be stored in the GOV.UK Wallet app on smartphones, with alternatives for people without smartphones, and officials could compare employer checks with HMRC payroll data.
• Ministers say tougher verification would reduce illegal working viewed as a pull factor for Channel crossings, a concern repeatedly raised by France’s President Emmanuel Macron.
• Civil liberties groups and several opposition figures warn of privacy, security and exclusion risks, with petitions surpassing 100,000 signatures and think‑tank estimates putting setup costs at £140m–£400m.