UK citizens would require a new digital ID scheme as part of a Government plan to crack down on illegal working.
The measure, first revealed by The i Paper, would mean digital identifications would become mandatory for right to work checks by the end of this Parliament.
Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure over small boat crossings with ministers insisting the ‘BritCard’ will make a significant dent in illegal working as current documents can be easily falsified.
But concerns have been raised about how the scheme would work and the impact on Britons.
The Government says if a phone is lost or stolen, the digital credentials can be immediately revoked and reissued.
A statement from No 10 insists this would provide better security than traditional physical documents.
The new digital ID would be “authoritative proof” of someone’s identity and residency status, the Prime Minister’s office says.
Jen Ellis, a cyber security expert who sits on the Cabinet Office’s Government Cyber Advisory Board, told The i Paper: “I think it is potentially the case digital wallets made phone theft even more attractive than it had been previously.
“However, with something like a digital ID, a part of the core component is that it will store an image of you, it will store biometrics.
“So for hackers, they’re going to have to have a way of basically manipulating that or making it work in some way. Which is not to say it doesn’t happen – passport theft is a is a thing for a reason.
“There are elements to it that make it less of a no-brainer than we might think. I don’t think it’s a straight, oh yes, of course. I think it’s a possibly.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said digital ID would be an ‘enormous opportunity’ for the UK to prevent illegal working (Photo: Leon Neal/PA Wire)She added the scheme could have security benefits and cut out risks in know your customer (KYC) checks, such as emailing in copies of passports.
A survey earlier this year by defence giant Thales found a third of Britons already have a photo or scan of official ID documents like passports or driving licenses, on their mobile devices.
This had led to security concerns, with 15 per cent of 1,000 people surveyed reporting being victims of fraud in the last month, with the figure rising to 22 per cent among 25-34 year olds.
Could the technology create problems for elderly users?
The digital IDs would be stored on smartphones on an app in the GOV.UK’s wallet and checked against a central database of people entitled to live and work in the UK.
They would be stored on devices in the same way contactless payment cards or the NHS App are.
How the scheme will work for those who do not use smartphones will be addressed as part of the consultation process, but concerns have been raised about the impact on elderly.
Those who do not want to carry a digital ID card or do not operate digitally could be given a physical card instead, according to The Telegraph.
While the digital ID would be compulsory for workers, pensioners would not need to apply for one.
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Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, told The i Paper: “Everyone without a smartphone or who lacks the ability to use apps will be worried that this ID scheme will exclude them from full citizenship.
“It is irresponsible to half announce a scheme without full details about how all British citizens can access it.”
Caroline Abrahams , charity director at Age UK said the move signaled a “tipping point” in the shift towards digital and called for a Government-led programme to help people move online.
“The sprint towards digital by default is chaotic, unfair and inefficient and it’s only with Government leadership that we’ve any chance of getting the best from it and sharply reducing the numbers who feel totally excluded, among them millions of older people,” she said,
“If digital ID cards are coming this really must change.”
Akiko Hart, director of Liberty, said: “Compulsory digital ID will exclude some of the most marginalised members of society, including those in poverty and the elderly, from housing and employment.”
How will the scheme be enforced?
Influential think tank Labour Together, which produced the proposal for a Britcard, claimed the scheme would “support better enforcement of migration rules”.
Since last year’s election win, the Government has been cracking down on illegal working of asylum seekers, targeting Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eats.
The proposed card is expected to include details such as name, date of birth, nationality or residency status and a photo with a consultation examining whether additional information such as an address could also be included.
The smartphone app would be checked against a central database of people entitled to work and live in the UK.
It would apply to anyone starting a new job or renting a home with landlords and employers able to verity those details on a free app.
While there will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it, the digital ID would be mandatory as a means of proving a right to work.
As part of its rollout, there would be face-to-face support for people struggling to access the scheme.
There is no suggestion that people will be stopped on the street and asked to produce their ID of face punishments if they refuse to.
But Big Brother Watch argued it could be “harmful to privacy, equality and civil liberties” by allowing the Government to store personal data which could, in theory. be used for surveillance purposes.
The Government insists the ID will eventually “make it simpler to apply for services like driving licences, childcare and welfare”.
The consultation on how the service will be delivered is due to be launched later this year.
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