UK to introduce a digital ID system
EL.KZ Информационно-познавательный портал
The government has announced plans to introduce a digital ID system across the UK, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying it will ensure the country's "borders are more secure", El.kz cites BBC.
The IDs will not have to be carried day-to-day, but they will be compulsory for anyone wanting to work.
The government says the scheme will be rolled-out "by the end of the Parliament" - meaning before the next general election, which by law must be held no later than August 2029.
The digital IDs will be used to prove a person's right to live and work in the UK.
They will take the form of an app-based system, stored on smartphones in a similar way to the NHS App or digital bank cards.
Information on the holders' residency status, name, date of birth, nationality and a photo will be included.
The government says the scheme is designed to curb illegal immigration by making it harder for people without status to find jobs. Ministers argue this is one of the key pull factors for migrants entering the UK illegally.
Employers will no longer be able to rely on a National Insurance number - which is currently used as part of proof of right to work - or paper-based checks.
At the moment, it is quite easy to borrow, steal or use someone else's National Insurance number and that is part of the problem in the shadow economy - people sharing National Insurance numbers for example. The idea is that having a picture attached would make it - in theory - harder to abuse that system.
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