UK Government announces the long-awaited consultation on national digital ID

The consultation is guided by the core principles of Useful, Inclusive, and Trusted. It asks questions based on these principles, accounting for three of the overall six chapters. These chapters cover a range of topics, from questions on creating, storing and managing the national digital ID, to addressing challenges such as digital exclusion and fraud.

With a focus on digital inclusion and public sector transformation, the messaging of this consultation signals a step change from the language used in the September 2025 announcement that focused on a national digital ID for mandatory right to work checks. This January, the Government stated that it will no longer mandate that only a national digital ID can be used for right to work checks, though right to work checks will still move to a digital system. The consultation does still ask questions on the use of national digital ID for right to work checks.

techUK response:

As the UK enters a pivotal moment for digital identity, techUK welcomes this consultation and calls for strong and sustained collaboration between government, industry, and civil society, with citizens’ needs at the heart of every decision. Engagement with the UK’s digital verification sector (DVS), which has experience delivering secure, citizen-centric digital verification services, will be critical to help deliver tangible benefits for individuals and the wider economy. While techUK welcomes the focus on public sector transformation, recognition of the DVS sector, which has enabled digital transformation across the private sector, should also be acknowledged and leveraged.

techUK will be writing a response to this consultation, in close collaboration with our members in the Digital ID Working Group, as well as our public sector, digital inclusion, and cyber security programmes. If you have any questions about these groups please do not hesitate to reach out.

In the meantime, techUK has previously published a report outlining a clear roadmap to support the successful and trusted rollout of digital ID across the country.

techUK’s report, Digital ID & the UK: Empowering Citizens, Enabling Growth, highlights the need for long-term collaboration between government, industry, and civil society. It stresses the importance of designing digital ID policy that protects citizens, encourages innovation, and builds upon existing policy – rather than starting from scratch.

Benefits of digital ID

The UK already has a thriving, £2.05bn digital ID private sector, that helps people and businesses with right to work, right to rent, and financial security checks. These solutions operate within existing government policies and are supported by legislation under the Digital ID Trust Framework, within the Data Use and Access Act. Through this scheme, adoption of digital ID has continued. For example, HMT and DSIT recently unveiled their long-awaited guidance, outlining clearly that digital verification solutions certified under the Trust Framework can be reliably utilised to conduct AML checks.

Many people choose to use digital identity technologies, with a 2025 survey reporting that 44% of consumers have used a digital identity service for tasks like age verification, credit checks, or online gaming. 75% said timesaving and convenience were the top benefits of digital identity services compared to use of physical ID.

The benefits for digital ID are strong, but a case still needs to be made for a national digital ID. If the public doesn’t understand the benefits or trust the safeguards around privacy, security, autonomy and access, they won’t support it. With this in mind, techUK looks forward to working with the UK Government to help build a digital ID ecosystem based on inclusivity, collaboration and security.

For more information or to get involved with our Digital ID programme, please contact the team below.

Technology and Innovation programme activities

techUK bring members, industry stakeholders, and UK Government together to champion emerging technologies as an integral part of the UK economy. We help to create an environment where innovation can flourish, helping our members to build relationships, showcase their technology, and grow their business. Visit the programme page here.