Government plans could see digital ID cards issued to all UK residents and legal residents
Linda Howard Money and Consumer Writer and Lauren Haughey Lifestyle and Money Reporter
14:41, 18 Nov 2025Updated 14:49, 18 Nov 2025
Digital ID cards are set to be rolled out before August 2029(Image: Guido Mieth via Getty Images)
Nearly three million people have signed an online petition calling for the UK Government to immediately halt plans for digital ID cards. The creator of the petition, Maxim Sutcliff, contends that the introduction of digital ID cards would be a ‘step towards mass surveillance and digital control’ and that ‘no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system’.
As of now, digital ID cards are set to be issued to all UK residents and legal residents before the next general election, which must legally occur no later than August 2029. According to the Government, the cards would be ‘stored securely’ on a phone to provide ‘authoritative proof’ of a person’s identity and residency status in the country.
The UK Government previously responded to the petition in writing, which only confirmed its plans to introduce a digital ID system to help tackle illegal migration, make accessing government services easier, and ‘enable wider efficiencies’. It also mentioned that a consultation would be launched soon.
However, another update was posted on the UK Parliament website on November 11, with the Committee announcing that the petition will be debated on December 8, 2025, according to the Daily Record. The online petition states: “We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
“We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system. ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason.”
Government responds to digital ID card petition
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) responded to the e-petition on October 2. It said that the digital ID model will be ‘fit for the needs of modern Britain’ and also stressed its dedication to making ‘people’s everyday lives easier and more secure’.
“We will introduce a digital ID within this Parliament to help tackle illegal migration, make accessing government services easier, and enable wider efficiencies,” the DSIT message read. “We will consult on details soon.”
It later continued: “We are committed to making people’s everyday lives easier and more secure, to putting more control in their hands (including over their own data), and to driving growth through harnessing digital technology. We also want to learn from countries which have digitised government services for the benefit of their citizens, in line with our manifesto commitment to modernise government.
“Currently, when UK citizens and residents use public services, start a new job, or, for example, buy alcohol, they often need to present an assortment of physical documents to prove who they are or things about themselves.
“This is both bureaucratic for the individual and creates space for abuse and fraud. This includes known issues with illegal working and modern slavery, while the fragmented approach and multiple systems across Government make it difficult for people to access vital services. Further, there are too many people who are excluded, like the 1 in 10 UK adults who don’t have a physical photo ID, so can struggle to prove who they are and access the products and services they are entitled to.
“To tackle these interlinked issues, we will introduce a new national digital ID. This is not a card but a new digital identity that will be available for free to all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over (although we will consider through consultation if this should be age 13 and over).”
What the ID cards could do
The DSIT said it hopes people will eventually use the ID cards ‘seamlessly’ to access various services, thus streamlining certain interactions with the state. Although a card will be mandatory for proving a person’s Right to Work, actually obtaining one won’t be compulsory.
In turn, it will not be a criminal offence to lack a digital ID, and police will be unable to require one during a ‘stop and search’. The response added: “Privacy and security will also be central to the digital ID programme. We will follow data protection law and best practice in creating a system which people can rightly put their trust in.
“People in the UK already know and trust digital credentials held in their phone wallets to use in their everyday lives, from paying for things to storing boarding passes. The new system will be built on similar technology and be your boarding pass to government.
“Digitally checkable digital credentials are more secure than physical documents which can be lost, copied or forged, and often mean sharing more information than just what is necessary for a given transaction. The new system will be designed in accordance with the highest security standards to protect against a comprehensive range of threats, including cyber-attacks.
“We will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks and work closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders, to co-design the scheme and ensure it is as secure and inclusive as possible. Following consultation, we will seek to bring forward legislation to underpin this system.”
You can read the petition in full here.
