The digital identity sector has welcomed the UK government’s decision to backtrack on plans to make its national digital ID scheme mandatory for right-to-work checks – in effect, removing any compulsory aspect of the proposed scheme.
Less than a week after the Cabinet Office promoted MP Josh Simons to become minister for digital government, in charge of the digital ID policy, it has now removed the most controversial aspect of the proposals announced by prime minister Keir Starmer in September last year.
Starmer launched the national digital ID scheme by pitching it as a means to control undocumented immigration, through making use of a government app mandatory when employers conduct right-to-work checks.
The plan brought an instant backlash from civil rights groups and privacy campaigners, as well as widespread criticism from the tech sector, where digital identity providers have been encouraged for many years to go through a rigorous compliance process to achieve accreditation on a government-approved register of digital verification services. Startups and investors feared the impact of an official government digital ID app on their prospects for developing and growing the market in the UK.
Since then, the government has gradually changed its rhetoric, moving away from the contentious focus on undocumented immigration and attempting to present its plans as a way to make digital public services more modern and efficient.
An online petition calling for government to halt plans for the online identity programme received more than three million signatures, prompting a debate in Parliament where MPs from all parties laid out their concerns.
As a result, the government has now removed the compulsory element of the proposed scheme in advance of a consultation on national digital ID, which is due to commence soon. Use of some form of digital proof of identity will still be mandatory for right-to-work checks, but the government digital ID app will only be one option for doing so.
A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to mandatory digital right-to-work checks. Currently right-to-work checks include a hodge-podge of paper-based systems with no record of checks ever taking place. This is open to fraud and abuse.
“We have always been clear that details on the digital ID scheme will be set out following a full public consultation which will launch shortly. Digital ID will make everyday life easier for people, ensuring public services are more personal, joined-up and effective, while also remaining inclusive.”
Private sector leaders in the digital ID sector hope the move will allow the wider market to flourish and bring more choice for citizens in how and where they use such technology.
“Sanity has prevailed. This is a necessary reset. Let’s hope we can now shift the narrative and focus on the social, economic and practical benefits that voluntary digital ID will bring to UK citizens and residents,” said Richard Oliphant, an independent legal consultant and expert on digital identity.
Robin Tombs, CEO of Yoti, which has more than seven million users of its digital ID app, said: “The mandatory messaging provoked a strong backlash from many opponents and has increasingly risked sabotaging the value of the upcoming public consultation.
“The government team now has the opportunity to engage in a more productive, less contentious discussion focusing on improving access to public services for citizens who want to use a government, or certified private sector, digital ID.”
David Crack, chair of the Association of Digital Verification Professionals, added: “A warm welcome for this news which was always going to come. Congratulations to the government in making this known early. Now we can get on to discussing what type of digital ID the country needs and how we can all gain control of our data.”
According to figures from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the government scheme was expected to cost £1.8bn over the next three years – although Emran Mian, permanent secretary at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, told MPs in December that was “not a figure [the government] recognises”.
Private sector concerns about the government proposals led to a showdown meeting in December between industry representatives and the prime minister’s chief secretary, Darren Jones, who was given overall policy responsibility for digital ID, in an attempt to ease fears. Jones stressed that no firm decisions had been made and that government wanted to use the consultation process to determine the best approach to take.
Further concerns over the scheme came from its reliance on the existing One Login single sign-on system used for logging in to many online public services. Computer Weekly last year revealed a series of serious security and data protection concerns around the One Login system.