Particle.news
Download on the App Store
19 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

UK Presses Ahead With Digital ID After Mass Petition as Right-to-Work Checks Set for 2029

Ministers set a phone-based credential for right‑to‑work checks, promising consultation before primary legislation.

Image
Louis Mosley, head of Palantir in the UK, said there was no “clear resounding public support” for digital ID
Image
Image

Overview

  • The government’s formal response confirms a national digital identity will launch within this Parliament and be required for employers’ right‑to‑work checks by 2029.
  • The credential will be free for UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over, with consultation to consider extending eligibility to 13+.
  • It will not be a criminal offence to lack a digital ID, and police will not be able to demand it during stop‑and‑search.
  • A public consultation will open in the coming weeks ahead of legislation, with plans to co‑design the scheme with employers, unions and civil society.
  • Opposition has escalated as an official petition approaches 2.8 million signatures and critics from across politics and civil liberties raise privacy and exclusion risks, while the system is slated to build on GOV.UK One Login and Wallet; Palantir says it will not bid.