ShareSaveBrian WheelerPolitical reporterShareSaveGetty ImagesThe government is pushing ahead with plans for digital ID, which it says will make public services easier to use on mobile phones.
Cabinet Office minister Darren Jones is later unveiling the prototype of what he called "government by app" as he launches an eight-week consultation exercise to seek the public's views on how the technology should work.
The government had originally planned to make digital ID compulsory for everyone starting a new job - to prove their right to work in the UK.
But it did a U-turn on this amid polling suggesting digital ID - and the compulsory element in particular - had become more unpopular with voters, with Reform UK supporters being especially resistant to it.
When the scheme was announced by Sir Keir Starmer in September last year, it was touted as a way to crack down on illegal working in the UK.
But now the government has switched to promoting the potential benefits of digital ID, which will be in held in a wallet on smartphones, to consumers.
Jones said: "People too often dread their interactions with public services. Endless telephone calls, complicated printed forms and having to tell your story multiple times to different parts of government.
"I want to change that and make public services work for you. The new digital ID will make that possible, allowing you to log on and prove who you are to access public services more quickly, easily and securely."
He warned that public services need to "catch up" with those offered by the private sector, such as online banking.
Digital ID will still be available to use as proof of identity for digital right to work checks, which will be compulsory by the end of the current Parliament in 2029.
But employers and employees will also be able to do a digital check of other documents such as a passport or eVisa if they prefer, Jones told MPs.
The minister said the consultation exercise would be more extensive than normal for a new policy, with a "people's panel", bringing together 100 individuals from across the country with different backgrounds.
They will be asked to look at what age people should be able to get a Digital ID, what information should be included in it and which government services it should cover.
The consultation exercise will also look at how to make sure all citizens are included, amid concerns it will make life more difficult for people without access to computers or smartphones.
Jones insisted the government "will not leave people behind" with the rollout and promised it would "help those who are less confident in technology or don't have other forms of ID, like a passport".
Asked how much the scheme would cost, he told MPs "we do not know the answer", adding that the government would provide updated figures after the consultation.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats scrapped Labour's first attempt at an ID scheme, which was based around physical cards and a centralised database, when they came to power in 2010.
The two parties have criticised Labour's latest proposals - but have not said they will block it provided it does not become mandatory.
Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood said: "This consultation is another step towards a digital ID scheme that has become nothing more than a costly vanity project."
He added: "The Conservatives are completely opposed to any move towards mandatory digital ID and will stand firmly against it."
Lib Dem Home Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Smart told MPs: "People should not be forced to turn over their data simply to go about their daily lives."
She said any ID scheme must also "ensure privacy" to prevent misuse or surveillance.
Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice said the Gov.uk portal worked well but warned it must not be used to bring "a digital ID card system through the back door".
Elizabeth Anderson, chief executive of the Digital Poverty Alliance charity, said: "International experience shows that so-called voluntary digital ID systems can quickly become essential in practice, as both public and private services begin to rely on them.
"When this happens, offline alternatives can become slow, complex, or difficult to access, effectively creating barriers for people who cannot engage digitally.
"This is a real concern in the UK, where around 19 million adults remain digitally excluded."
Digital ID will be based on two government-built systems - Gov.uk One Login and Gov.uk Wallet.
One Login, is a single account for accessing public services online, which the government says more than 12 million people have already signed up to.
Gov.UK Wallet has not yet been launched but it could eventually allow citizens to store their digital ID - including name, date of birth, nationality and residence status, and a photo - on their smartphones.
Users will need a Gov.UK One Login to access the wallet.
