‘The innovation puts power back in the hands of the people, making everyday interactions faster, easier, and more secure. We are delivering on the Plan for Change by making public services work for everyone’
Digital driving licences stored in a new government app on smartphones that can be used to prove a person’s age are to be made available this year, the Government has confirmed.
The new Gov.uk. app is being launched this summer, and it’s set to include a GovU.K. “wallet” that will store your digital government papers, beginning with veteran cards and then a test run of driving licences later this year.
This high-tech wallet will tap into the security gadgets of today’s smartphones, using facial recognition tech not unlike the way people tap and pay with their digital bank cards. Opting for the digital route is purely voluntary, the officials have reassured, maintaining physical documents for those who want them.
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that by the end of 2027, the Government hoped to have a range of documents available inside the wallet, including DBS checks and every other credential issued by the government.
He said: “Along with CDs, the Walkman and flip phones, the overflowing drawer rammed with letters from the government and hours spent on hold to get a basic appointment will soon be consigned to history.
“Gov.UK Wallet will mean that every letter or identity document you receive from the government could be issued to you virtually.
“For people who choose to use Gov.UK Wallet, they will find it easier to prove they’re entitled to benefits or check their age when buying alcohol or DIY equipment, with more security and trust than ever before.”
“Crucially, it also opens huge opportunities to make interacting with public services much easier by putting people in control of their own data.
“We will be overhauling how the public sector uses technology which is essential to delivering our Plan for Change, and in combination with this new tech for people to use themselves, we are going to slash the time people waste dealing with annoying processes so they can focus on what matters to them.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted: “This is a game changer for the millions of people who use their driving licence as ID.”
“The innovation puts power back in the hands of the people, making everyday interactions faster, easier, and more secure. We are delivering on the Plan for Change by making public services work for everyone.”
The digital breakthrough arrives in tandem with aims to secure £45bn in efficiency savings through leveraging digital tools and data to enhance public services, which includes deploying AI technology within the Civil Service to expedite tasks in Whitehall.
