See what the UK's new mandatory digital ID will mean for your business Read the blog
Vouchsafe
Guides 26 September 2025

Everything you need to know about the UK’s new mandatory digital ID

Chloe Coleman

The UK government has confirmed that digital ID will be mandatory for right to work checks before the end of this Parliament. This is the most significant change to how people prove their identity in decades.

Here’s what you need to know, and what it means for employers, recruiters and financial services.

What is the UK digital ID scheme?

A digital ID is a secure, government-issued credential stored on a phone, similar to the NHS App or mobile banking. It allows individuals to prove who they are without relying on paper documents.

The new UK scheme will:

Why is digital ID being introduced now?

The government has set out two main aims:

  1. Immigration enforcement: to ensure that people without the right to live or work in the UK cannot gain employment
  2. Efficiency and security: to streamline access to services, reduce duplicate checks and cut reliance on paper documents

Other countries already use digital ID in this way. In Estonia, one digital identity underpins almost every interaction with the state. In India, Aadhaar has cut fraud and streamlined welfare payments.

Who will need a digital ID?

Everyone of working age will need one. That means:

The levels of ID poverty in the UK mean that getting to this outcome will be a significant challenge. Right now:

Providing options for these people to enrol for digital ID will be critical to making the system work for everyone.

How will enrolment work?

Full details are not yet known. Unlike the 1990s ID card proposal, there is no expectation for people to enrol in person in large numbers.

Instead, it is expected that:

For organisations, this means employees and customers will increasingly be able to prove their identity in a single, standardised way. The transition period will require adjustment.

What does this mean for employers and financial services?

Why it matters now

The government’s timetable is tight. Mandatory use is due before the next general election. That gives businesses limited time to adapt.

The opportunity is clear. Digital ID can make compliance simpler, cut costs and reduce fraud. But employers, recruiters and financial services firms will need to act quickly to prepare their systems and teams.

Vouchsafe specialises in helping organisations adapt to the shift to digital identity, from right to work checks to flexible KYC onboarding. If you would like to understand how this affects your organisation, email me at jaye@vouchsafe.id, or book a chat.

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