USAID Causing Havoc
Sep 15, 2025
UK Set to Join Ghana, Estonia, Australia and Others with Digital, Multi-Purpose Identity Systems
September 27, 2025
The United Kingdom is set to roll out mandatory digital IDs as part of efforts to combat identity fraud and strengthen immigration controls, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced.
Speaking to global leaders in London on Friday, Sir Starmer said the initiative would usher in a modern, multi-purpose identity system that would be central to how people access work and public services in the UK.
“You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID. It’s as simple as that,” he declared.
Senior Minister Darren Jones described the proposed system as potentially becoming “the bedrock of the modern state.”
Like Ghana’s Ghanacard, the UK’s digital ID will capture critical information including residency status, name, date of birth, nationality, and a photograph of the holder. Authorities believe the new system will not only tackle illegal employment but also deliver “countless benefits” to citizens by streamlining service delivery.
The UK joins a growing list of nations including Ghana, Estonia, Australia, Denmark, India, Singapore, and South Korea that have adopted robust digital identity systems.
Ghana’s national identification journey began under President John Agyekum Kufuor and was significantly expanded during the Akufo-Addo administration, under the leadership of then Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Today, more than 17 million Ghanaian adults are enrolled, with efforts underway to capture children at birth.
The Ghanacard now doubles as both a social security and tax identification number and 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 hopes its system will, over time, deliver similar integration, enabling easier access to services such as driving licences, childcare, welfare, and tax records.
By taking lessons from countries with established systems, officials say they intend to design a secure and globally competitive digital ID framework fit for the future.
