Reimagined UK digital ID, wallet proposed by Labour think-tank

The UK government is considering a proposal to issue a national smartphone-based verifiable digital identity credential to every adult in the country called the BritCard. The mandatory, universal, national identity credential would be used to prevent illegal migration through right-to-rent and right-to-work checks, which are regulated by the Digital Identity and Attributes Framework (DIATF).

The digital ID would be built on the existing One Login and Gov.UK Wallet, which would be rebranded to the BritCard app, according to the proposal, authored by Labour Together. The British think tank is closely associated with the Labour Party and was previously led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.

“All the necessary elements of the technology needed to deliver BritCard exist and are already in use in multiple arenas,” the document says. “The additional cost would be modest relative to other forms of infrastructure — we estimate between £140-400 million (US$189.3 to $541 million).”

The digital ID card would be linked to government records and allow citizens to access government services. Over time, it could merge existing ID systems such as national insurance numbers and driving licenses and act as a portal for accessing the National Health Service (NHS).

The proposal is currently being examined by the Number 10 Policy Unit, a body of policymakers that provides policy advice directly to the British Prime Minister. Multiple Labour Party MPs have already expressed their support for the project, keen to show that the government is taking illegal migration seriously.

Migration control has been a key argument for proponents of a national ID system in the UK. The proposal notes that the digital ID card would not only prevent illegal immigrants from taking jobs but also present a clear way for migrants to prove their status in the country.

Labour figures from former PM Tony Blair to dozens of current MPs have called for digital IDs to be deployed in the fight against illegal immigration.

Under current right-to-work and right-to-rent rules, employers and landlords are expected to check identity. Legal migrants to the UK can perform the check digitally using an eVisa. UK and Irish nationals can prove this by showing a physical passport or one of 15 other documents.

“Because of the complexity of the rules, it is relatively easy for a worker or tenant to present a document that belongs to someone else or to produce a fake document,” the Labour Together report notes.

Under the proposal, the BritCard Wallet app could be the Gov.UK Wallet or a certified private sector wallet such as Apple or Google Wallets. The app would issue a secure credential assumed to contain an embedded biometric photo. The credential may be either ISO/IEC 18013 compliant, a W3C Verifiable Credential or an equivalent.

The user would log into the app using One Login and present the credentials to an employer or landlord. The credential would be scanned with a verifier app. Landlords and employers will be able to log into the app with One Login for Business.

According to a poll conducted by Labour Together, around 80 percent of UK citizens support the use of digital identity for several use cases, including checking whether someone is eligible to claim benefits and free healthcare or whether someone has a criminal record.

Article Topics

BritCard  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Gov.UK  |  GOV.UK Wallet  |  government services  |  identity verification  |  One Login  |  UK  |  UK digital ID