Brits will be able to get digital driver’s licences on their smartphones and use them as ID in bars, shops, pubs or online to prove their age from later this year
How to add HM Armed Forces Veteran Card to GOV.uk wallet
Brits will be able to get digital driver’s licences and veteran cards on their smartphones from later this year, ministers have announced.
New digital wallets run on a government app will allow voters to use their phones in pubs, bars, shops or online to prove their age. The new wallet will make use of security features already built into modern smartphones, including facial recognition – similar to how people use such tools to pay for things using a digital bank card on their phone.
The government has reassured voters that using the digital system will be optional and physical documents will remain available. The wallet will be part of a new gov.uk app, which will be made available from this summer. Ministers said the wallet will be able to hold a huge range of documents, from Blue Badges, PIP letters, DBS checks by 2027.
There also plans to bring birth certificates, marriage certificates and passports under the plan. Digitising passports is expected to take much longer as it will require international efforts to, for instance, ensure airport gates across the world all accept digital passports.
As well as accessing important official documents, Brits will be able to use the app for things like applying for childcare or reporting a lost passport. Voters will also be able to prove they are entitled to benefits or choose to get government documents or letters issued to them virtually.
In the future it may be possible for people to be able to add their documents, such as driving licences, to an Apple or Google wallet.
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Digital documents can help combat fraud as they use secure technology to protect them from being stolen or hacked. For instance, fraudsters are currently able to steal people’s paper documents to claim benefits whereas only the user of a digital wallet will be able to access their own documents. It is also hoped that digital wallets will help save money and time especially with regards to people having to replace lost documents.
The government will not retain any data on when, where or what documents people use.
In the future, an AI-powered chatbot will be added to the app to help users navigate through the vast amount of information on gov.uk. Thousands of business staff have been given the chance to test the technology as part of efforts to slim down “outdated and bulky” Government processes.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle is driving forward with plans to digitise the government to speed up sluggish and expensive processes. The Cabinet minister earlier announced new AI tools, called ‘Humphrey’, which will be rolled out to civil servants to help modernise Whitehall and cut costs on external consultants. They are named after the fictional character Sir Humphrey Appleby from the 1980s BBC sitcom ‘Yes Minister’.
It follows a review of old-fashioned government systems that revealed that HMRC takes 100,000 calls and DVLA processes 45,000 letters each day. The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology said it could save services up to £45billion by speeding up work and cutting back on consultant spending.
Mr Kyle 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.
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“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 said: “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.”
