U.K. will accept multiple digital IDs for right-to-work checks, officials say

The British government said Wednesday it will not require a single, mandatory digital identity card for workers, rolling back an earlier plan for a so‑called BritCard to be the only proof of the right to work in Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had proposed the BritCard in September, presenting it as a way to deter undocumented migrants from seeking work.

Cabinet officials said the new digital ID would not be the only option and that verification could take several forms. “The difference is whether that has to be one piece of ID — a digital ID card — or whether it can be an e‑visa or an e‑passport,” Rachel Reeves, Britain’s top economic official, said in an interview with the BBC.

“And we’re pretty relaxed about what form that takes.” The change is described in the article as the latest dilution or reversal by the Starmer government since it took office in 2024, following U‑turns on a planned reduction in welfare payments and a proposed retiree benefit cut.

Those shifts have drawn criticism from opposition parties that the government is weak and lacks clear direction. Officials said the objective of a digitized system — including rooting out illegal immigration, guarding against identity theft and streamlining checks — remains. “To work in the U.K., you’ve got to be able to prove digitally that you can work in the U.K.,” Ms.

Key Topics

Politics, Britcard, Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, E-visa, E-passport