Overview

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer set out on September 26 a plan for a national digital ID required to prove the right to work, with rollout targeted by 2029.
• The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said on October 2 the system will meet the highest security standards and that a public consultation will begin in the coming weeks.
• Opposition has intensified, with nearly 2.7 million people signing a UK-wide petition and more than 140,000 signatures reported in Wales.
• Critics point to Estonia’s experience, citing 837 major fraud cases last year and losses exceeding €7 million, with recent scams exploiting phishing to obtain ID PINs.
• GB News reports the scheme would require all citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over to hold a free national ID card, while Reform UK has publicly rejected the plan’s claims on tackling illegal immigration.