Digital ID: an opportunity which relies on privacy, inclusion and public trust

26 September 2025

The UK Government today announced plans for a new digital ID scheme.

Amid debates around its role in tackling illegal immigration, digital ID could be a game changer for public services.

It has the potential to speed up access to services, improve efficiency of service delivery, and create cost savings in the billions of pounds. Outside the public sector, it can help make the process of identity verification faster and more inclusive.

When implemented well, it can bring major benefits for public services. BankID in the Nordic countries and Estonia’s ID card are notable examples of schemes with high uptake and adoption, and with a high degree of public trust.

However, lessons from elsewhere show that when implemented poorly, digital ID systems carry serious risks. In India, the rollout of its ID scheme, Aadhaar, saw serious failures in inclusion and privacy, culminating in an Indian Supreme Court ruling in 2018 scaling back its use.

Privacy, trust, inclusion must be at the heart of the government's plan

Today’s news has been greeted with concern and suspicion in some quarters, particularly in relation to privacy and inclusion. And those concerns are legitimate. If the UK’s digital ID scheme is not implemented in a way that puts inclusion and privacy first, the risks are profound.

Without clarity on exactly what the government intends to achieve, there will be limited trust in its plans. People need to see a commitment to privacy, openness in how their data will be used and shared, and clarity on the intended scope and limitations of the scheme. Irrespective of whether it is mandatory, trust will be what determines uptake and adoption. Transparency is critical and appropriate governance is essential.

Likewise, digital ID must serve the needs of everyone. Failing to design for inclusion would risk deepening inequalities and excluding the most vulnerable. The digitally excluded and identity-excluded, like the millions without a passport or driving licence, are often also those with the most complex needs.

Digital ID represents an opportunity

Developing digital ID is a complex challenge. It’s encouraging to see the government approach it as part of a wider initiative to provide better digital services, having stated its intent to build on the work of the GOV.UK wallet.

The civil service has for many years been laying the groundwork, with services like One Login, eVisas, the transformation of the General Register Office, and its Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework, all of which can have a part to play in delivering a successful digital ID for the UK.

In this way, the plans for digital ID have the potential to strengthen digital capability across the civil service, join up with existing data and initiatives in government, and support interoperability with the private sector and other states. It can help unlock the secure, privacy-respecting data sharing that supports the kind of seamless “tell us once” services which have long been an ambition for digital government.

More broadly, it’s an opportunity for government to take a collaborative, user-centred approach to solving a complex challenge for the public good. There is no reason why digital ID can’t be developed iteratively, in the open, with and for the public. It can build on the good work of existing civil servant teams, and further grow the UK’s sovereign capability in the delivery of its critical national infrastructure.

Success will require a genuinely cross-departmental approach. A key challenge will be in orchestrating efforts across government: Putting together the right coalition of teams, with the right support and leadership, and avoiding the pitfalls of big programme delivery that have historically beset the delivery of large scale initiatives.