I had a piece of casework recently from someone who had been trying to start a new job in our NHS but the right-to-work checks were taking months.
Many of us face the nightmare of endless forms and identity checks when trying to access services. Whether it’s starting a new job, renting a home, claiming childcare hours, or opening a bank account, the same documents are asked for time and again. Digging through paperwork, taking photos of ID and council tax bills, e-mailing them off to people who then need to verify and store them.
For too many people – including the one in ten adults without a photo ID – these hurdles are a regular frustration and mean real barriers to opportunity.
That is why I am supporting the government’s plan to introduce a free Digital ID (not an ID card!) for everyone in the UK. This is about making everyday life simpler, more secure, and more inclusive for people here in West Cumbria.
Digital ID will allow people to prove who they are quickly and securely, without carrying piles of paperwork. It will be free for everyone and built with privacy and safety at its core.
At first, Digital ID will make right-to-work checks easier. Employers in our area tell me that the current system is time-consuming and costly. With a Digital ID, these checks will be faster, cheaper, and more robust – tackling fraud and exploitation while helping honest businesses. This will help to make the UK less attractive to people wanting to come and work here illegally.
But based on the success of digital ID in other countries, the potential goes much further. Parents could use it to apply for free childcare hours without wrestling with multiple logins. Renters could verify their identity with a landlord in just a few clicks. Students applying to universities or jobs could pull through verified education records instantly, cutting delays and frustration. Over time, this could even make tasks like doing your tax return or proving your age at the supermarket quicker and easier.
We know this can work because it is already working elsewhere. In Denmark, people now use their Digital ID for everything from banking to healthcare, saving time and reducing hassle. Estonia’s system has cut bureaucracy so much that it has boosted the country’s economy by up to 2% of GDP. In Australia, more than 90% of users say they’ve had a positive experience.
Crucially, this is also about inclusion. For those in our community who cannot afford a passport or driving licence, Digital ID will finally provide a free, secure way to prove who they are. It will even let people share only the information needed – for example, proving they’re over 18 without disclosing their full date of birth.
This is a common-sense change that will make life fairer, safer, and easier. By embracing Digital ID, we can cut red tape, give people more control, and make sure no one in our community is left behind.
Josh MacAlister MP 