Industry calls for clarity on government digital ID plans

The digital identity industry has called for clarity on the government’s digital identity plans, offering to collaborate with Whitehall. This follows prime minister Keir Starmer’s announcement in September 2025 that the government plans to introduce a national digital identity scheme.

The scheme, which the government hopes will help crack down on illegal migration, will be compulsory for Right to Work checks by the end of the current Parliament, and includes name, date of birth, nationality and residency status information, and a photo.

The Association of Digital Verification Professionals (ADVP) has written an open letter to Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones, who now has overall responsibility for the scheme, to request a meeting.

“We welcome your commitment to accelerating digital identity and request a meeting with you. We also propose establishing a cross-industry forum to support the UK’s digital identity agenda,” the letter said. “Our industry innovates and delivers at pace and has a proven understanding of the risks, safeguards and security considerations to responsibly do this.”

The letter also proposed a formal collaboration through a cross-sector forum to support clarity and alignment on the digital identity scheme. It added that there is a “strong economic case” for the private digital ID sector to have a lasting role in the development of a national digital identity scheme and called for clarity around how exactly the government’s scheme will work.

“For over a decade, with cross-party support, the UK has developed the Digital Identity and Attribute Trust Framework [DIATF] – a voluntary model that protects individual rights, lets government regulate and allows industry to innovate,” the letter said.

“It is unclear whether the aim is a new national digital ID stored in certified private wallets, a single credential sitting solely in the Gov.uk Wallet accessed by certified digital verification service [DVS] providers (the current plan), or something entirely different. Each variation represents a fundamentally different social and economic model. This uncertainty risks market stability, discourages investment and weakens trust across the entire digital ecosystem not just government.”

The digital identity industry has been at crosshairs with the government for a while, following the launch of Gov.uk Wallet, which was done without consulting industry and left many feeling blindsided. The digital identity industry has been pivotal in the creation and success of the DIATF, having spent money and resources on developing identity software and age verification solutions that conform with the trust framework.

The government’s latest announcement has left industry further concerned as there has been no reference to DIATF and asked Cabinet Office to confirm continued commitment to the trust framework.

“If government now wishes to position itself as the sole identity provider, we must also ask: who is the independent regulator that ensures accountability and protects the public interest? We suggest that the National Audit Office review the government’s new proposals to support transparent, evidence-based decision making and public reassurance,” the open letter said.

When Starmer announced the scheme, it was billed as a way to curb illegal immigration through mandatory Right to Work checks. However, the ADVP pointed out in its letter that the risk with introducing this as compulsory is “its vulnerability to the criticism it creates”. The ADVP added that it is also not clear how a mandatory digital ID would address impersonation, which is the most common fraud element seen by industry.

“It involves real credentials used by the wrong person, often originating from the government’s own e-visa system. It is unclear how a mandatory digital identity mitigates this risk. Instead, mechanisms to detect and enforce sanctions on those employers breaking the law should be considered and strengthened,” the letter said.

The industry is offering to host a meeting to formalise collaboration, focused on sharing data and insights to form key policy around digital ID, to identify risks and build shared public understanding and technical alignment.