The Labour government has performed another major policy reversal, reportedly scrapping plans to make a digital identity verification scheme compulsory for workers.
From Mandatory to Optional: The Policy Shift
According to reports on Tuesday 13 January 2026, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has abandoned the core element of a proposed digital ID system. The scheme, initially announced just four months prior in September 2025, was designed as a tool to crack down on illegal migration by making it harder for people without the right to work to find employment.
The original plan stated that the "Brit card" would be voluntary in most scenarios but mandatory specifically for right-to-work checks. However, following significant opposition from across the political spectrum, ministers are now rowing back on the compulsory element. The Times reported that the government will allow other forms of digital documentation to be used for these employment checks instead.
Political Pressure and Civil Liberties Concerns
The proposed obligatory ID scheme faced fierce criticism from civil-liberties groups, as well as from opposition parties Reform UK and the Conservatives. This pressure appears to have been a key factor in the government's change of heart.
A government source indicated that the mandatory aspect was proving counterproductive, stating it had been "stopping conversation about what digital IDs could be used for generally." The source added that stepping back from compulsory use would deflate a main point of contention, highlighting a fear that vulnerable individuals, such as a "65-year-old in a rural area," could be barred from working for not having the digital ID.
This U-turn marks at least the ninth, and by some counts the thirteenth, major policy reversal by Labour since the 2024 general election.
How the Brit Card Was Supposed to Work
The digital Brit card was modelled on a system used in Estonia. It was intended to be downloaded onto a smartphone to verify an individual's right to live and work in the UK. Employers would have been required to check the card of any prospective employee, creating a record shared with the Home Office to ensure compliance with immigration rules.
What Happens Next?
While the compulsory digital ID element has been axed, mandatory right-to-work checks will remain. The government now expects other documentation, such as electronic visas or passports, to be considered valid for these checks.
A public consultation is due to start within weeks to explore which verification methods will be acceptable. A government spokesperson reiterated commitment to mandatory digital right-to-work checks but confirmed details would follow the consultation, stating digital ID would make public services "more personal, joined-up and effective."
Opposition parties were quick to criticise the reversal. Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood called it "yet another humiliating U-turn," while Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Smart MP said the proposal was "doomed to failure" from the start.
