Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the United Kingdom will introduce mandatory digital identification cards as part of efforts to curb identity fraud and strengthen immigration control.
Addressing world leaders in London on Friday, Sir Starmer stressed the urgency of establishing a modern identity system. He noted that the new digital IDs would not only tighten restrictions on undocumented work but also deliver “countless benefits” for UK citizens.
“You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have a digital ID. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
Backing the move, Senior Minister Darren Jones described the initiative as a potential “bedrock of the modern state.”
Similar to Ghana’s Ghanacard, the UK’s digital ID will contain essential information including the holder’s name, date of birth, nationality, residency status, and a photograph.
The introduction of digital national identity cards has become an increasingly urgent topic for advanced economies facing rising cases of identity fraud. Countries such as Ghana, however, are already seen as global models.
Ghana launched its national ID programme under President John Agyekum Kufuor and later expanded it under President Nana Akufo-Addo, led by then Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Over 17 million Ghanaian adults have since been registered, with systems also put in place to capture children at birth.
Dr. Bawumia ensured that the Ghanacard could double as both a social security and tax identification number. Today, it is mandatory for opening bank accounts, applying for passports and driver’s licences, and receiving salaries from the government payroll.
The UK government says it intends to follow a similar path, aiming for its system to eventually streamline access to services such as driving licences, childcare, welfare, and tax records.
Globally, only a handful of countries—among them Estonia, Australia, Denmark, India, Singapore, South Korea, and Ghana—have fully developed digital identity systems. The UK has stated its ambition to “take the best aspects” of these models when designing its own.
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