The government has been accused of suppressing voters’ rights with the potential disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of people after plans to introduce compulsory photo ID for voters were leaked.

Reports that the Queen’s speech contains proposals to make showing ID such as driving licences or passports at the ballot box a requirement have been met anger by campaigners who say the move is a threat to democratic participation.

Ministers were accused of using a “sledgehammer to crack a nut” as the numbers of personation fraud during elections was tiny, critics said. Instead, voters were far more worried about low turnout, questionable donations and foreign interference, it was claimed.

Recent limited trials of voter ID had resulted in more than 700 people being denied a vote, said campaigners.

The proposals, reportedly contained in a new electoral integrity bill, will also limit the number of relatives for whom anyone can act as a proxy and will outlaw the “harvesting” of postal ballots by political parties and activists.

The Electoral Reform Society claimed that out of millions of votes cast in the UK last year, there were just eight allegations of personation fraud – the type of fraud that voter ID is meant to prevent.

Darren Hughes, the chief executive of the ERS, said: “When millions of people lack photo ID, these mooted plans risk raising the drawbridge to huge numbers of marginalised voters – including many elderly and BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] voters.

“The government have sat on their hands in the face of the actual threats to electoral integrity: anonymous ‘dark ads’, dodgy donations and disinformation. Instead of taking on the real issues, they are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

“Make no mistake, these plans will leave tens of thousands of legitimate voters voiceless. Ministers should focus on combating the real threats to our democracy, rather than suppressing voters’ rights.”

He added: “This gamble with our democracy will strike many voters as US-style gerrymandering, with Britain’s tradition of trust at the ballot box abolished in one swoop. Ministers must think again.”

The ERS estimates photo ID for voting would cost up to £20m to enforce per election.

According to Electoral Commission figures, more than 700 people were denied a vote in trials in 10 council wards during May’s local elections. Figures showed of the 1,968 people who were initially refused a ballot paper for not having the necessary ID, 740 did not return, indicating they were denied a vote, the ERS said.

That suggested the number of people denied a vote outnumbered the scale of alleged voter fraud in the whole UK last year by a factor of almost 100, the ERS said. It added that polling by the Electoral Commission showed electoral fraud was far down voters’ list of worries about elections.

Sir Simon Woolley, the founder of Operation Black Vote, described the voter ID proposals as “troubling and disappointing, not least because the case hasn’t been proven on voter fraud”.

He said: “What we are aware of, very much, is it dissuades many from engaging in the democratic process, particularly those from black minority ethnic communities. It is another obstacle to engagement from sectors of society already cynical about voting legislation and voting.

“The case has not been made for voter fraud, and so people are suspicious it’s for other motives.”

Clare Collier, advocacy director at the charity Liberty, said: “Compulsory photo voter ID is a red herring policy that could undermine free and fair elections and democracy itself. The government has grossly inflated the risk of electoral fraud as an excuse to usher in ever greater surveillance of the British public.”

Collier added: “In 2017 there was just one conviction for impersonation at an election. Voter ID is likely to damage election turnout and will worst affect those who are already disadvantaged – including young people, older people, disabled, transgender, and BAME communities and homeless people.”

The ERS has said that 3.5 million UK citizens do not have access to photo ID, and in 2013-14 about 11 million did not have a passport or driving licence. Government sources have reportedly said that voters without the required documentation would be able to apply for a free “electoral ID” from their local council.

More than 20 charities and civil society groups had urged the government to halt plans to expand compulsory voter ID before another trial last year, arguing it did nothing to dispel fears it would put off vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

The organisations, including the Salvation Army, Age UK, Liberty and Centrepoint, wrote a joint letter warning the idea was an excessive response to an almost negligible problem of voter impersonation at polling booths.

Cat Smith, Labour’s shadow minister for voter engagement, said: “Voter ID is a blatant attempt by the Tories to rig the result of the next general election.

“We will not allow the Tories to shut down our democracy by making it harder for people to vote.”