GDS awards two digital identity contracts to Experian

The Government Digital Service (GDS) has awarded two contracts as part of its Digital Identity Programme, One Login, to Experian.

The contracts are for identity fraud checks worth up to £9.1 million and email and phone validation up to £1.9 million. They will run for two years with options for one year extensions.

There are no further details available, but Public Technology reports that GDS has signed more than £33 million in contracts for the programme so far this year.

In July, GDS published two identity verification software contracts, both awarded to iProov for two years. The first for official document checking through mobile apps is worth up to £11.59 million and the second for biometric checks is worth up to £5.87 million.

In April GDS selected Deloitte to support the delivery of One Login in a two-year contract worth almost £11 million. Deloitte was also picked in February to deliver a new £4.8 million smartphone app that will integrate with the wider One Login programme.

New digital ID system at Companies House

GDS is currently testing the government-wide One Login service. It has delivered “an initial version of [the web] browser-based route” for the new digital login system, according to an update published by Natalie Jones, director of digital identity at GDS.

Elsewhere, Companies House is set to introduce a digital identity verification process for people looking to run a company in the UK.

In a blog post, Louise Smyth, Companies House CEO and registrar of companies, said the new ID system will “help deter those wishing to start companies for illegal purposes”.

“Anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK will need to verify their identity with Companies House to provide assurance that they are who they claim to be,” she said.