Key facts
- Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham will scrap the government's digital ID card plans.
- Resources dedicated to the digital ID scheme will be redirected to cost-of-living support.
- The digital ID scheme was intended to tackle illegal migration and verify the right to work.
- The plan faced public backlash and opposition over privacy concerns.
- Previous versions of the ID requirement were made voluntary.
- The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated the scheme's cost at £1.8 billion.
Incoming British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will scrap the government's digital ID card plans upon entering office, redirecting resources to address the cost of living crisis. The scheme, launched by previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was intended to tackle illegal migration and verify the right to work in the UK.
The digital ID initiative faced significant public backlash and opposition from various political figures and groups concerned about privacy and government overreach. Starmer had previously dropped the mandatory requirement for the ID in January following public outcry. Resources previously allocated to the scheme will now be focused on more pressing public needs.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimated the cost of the digital ID scheme at approximately £1.8 billion ($2.4 billion) between the 2026/27 and 2028/29 financial years. Critics, such as Conservative lawmaker Julia Lopez, have described the move as an attempt to salvage political standing after the project's perceived failure. Identity cards were abolished in the UK after World War Two, with passports and driving licenses typically used for identification.