The UK has abandoned its plan to make digital IDs mandatory for all workers, following intense public backlash. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reversed the September directive that threatened to bar anyone without a digital ID from working.

The original policy aimed to streamline right-to-work verification but sparked fears of surveillance and civil liberty erosion. Nearly three million people signed a parliamentary petition calling the plan a step toward a state-controlled national ID system.

Government officials continue to promote voluntary digital services like One Login and Wallet, which let users access public services and store personal data. A full shift to digital checks is still expected by 2029, targeting fraud in current paper-based processes.