New digital ID app unveiled as shoppers and pubgoers will be able to prove age with phones
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The government says Brits will soon be able to use a digital version of their driver’s licence as proof of ID.
A driver’s licence will be one of the first digital documents in a GOV.UK Wallet launched later this year and will ultimately allow people to prove their age from their phone in shops or online, the Science Secretary Peter Kyle announced on January 21.
The GOV.UK Wallet will be available on iOS and Android, with a digital veteran card to be made available to former service personnel later this year. A mobile driver’s licence will be piloted later in 2025, and all government services will have to offer a digital alternative alongside paper or card credentials by the end of 2027.
The technology will use security features built into modern smart phones, including facial recognition checks, similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card.
It comes alongside a planned summer 2025 launch of an app designed to make it simpler for people to navigate the GOV.UK website, access government information and complete essential tasks from their phone.