New government stops national Digital ID scheme but digital verification must move forward
It was announced over the weekend that a national scheme for digital ID will not continue under the incoming government. Further details on what this announcement means in practice and how this could impact related work, for example work on the GOV.UK Wallet and creation of the new Digital Driving Licence, are as yet still unclear. However, what remains clear is the huge benefits and opportunities that digital verification technology and services, already provided by industry under the DVS Trust Framework, offers to the UK economy and society.
The UK already has a thriving, £2.05bn digital ID private sector, that helps people and businesses with right to work, right to rent, and financial security checks. These solutions operate within existing government policies and are supported by legislation under the DVS Trust Framework, within the Data Use and Access Act. Through this scheme, adoption of digital ID is continuing. For example, HMT and DSIT recently unveiled their long-awaited guidance, outlining clearly that digital verification solutions certified under the Trust Framework can be reliably utilised to conduct AML checks.
Many people choose to use digital verification technologies, with a 2025 survey reporting that 44% of consumers have used a digital identity service for tasks like age verification, credit checks, or online gaming. 75% said timesaving and convenience were the top benefits of digital identity services compared to use of physical ID.
The benefits for digital ID are strong and there are huge opportunities for digital verification services to support across the wider economy, including support cross border trade, and society. techUK’s recent report Digital ID & the UK: Empowering Citizens, Enabling Growth, outlined a clear roadmap and made a number of recommendations that show how and where government and industry can work together to move forward. However, what is also key now is pushing forward with initiatives that are already underway and ensuring clarity on outstanding issues and areas where action is still needed.
techUK response:
techUK’s CEO Julian David OBE has responded to this news setting out what needs to happen next to keep the UK moving forward on digital verification.
