Government unveils digital identity wallet and app for UK

A mobile driver’s licence will be one of the first digital documents in a GOV.UK Wallet launched later this year, the Science Secretary Peter Kyle has announced. 

The GOV.UK Wallet will allow users to securely store government-issued documents on their phone to use when needed. The technology will make use of security features including facial recognition checks similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card. It means that digital documents will be more secure, even if a device is lost, says the Government.

Showcasing the tool, the Science Secretary set out that by the end of 2027, the GOV.UK Wallet will include documents like Veteran Cards, DBS checks and every other credential issued by the government – for those who choose to use them, while traditional physical documents will remain available.

It comes alongside a planned summer 2025 launch of a GOV.UK App designed to make it simpler for people to navigate the GOV.UK website, and access government information. The app will remember users’ activity to offer a more convenient, and personalised experience of interacting with government, with future additions also set to include an AI-powered chatbot, GOV.UK Chat, ways to make payments and receive notifications and reminders about services.

“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,” said Science Secretary Peter Kyle.

“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.”

GOV.UK Wallet

Digital documents held in the GOV.UK Wallet, like a driver’s licence or someone’s proof of benefits, will be able to be used just as physical documents are, if people choose to.

It 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 under plans set out by the Blueprint for Digital Government.

The GOV.UK Wallet will allow digital credentials to be accessed immediately after successful application.

The Wallet is underpinned by the security and identity verification measures of GOV.UK One Login, meaning users can be assured documents can only be accessed by the right person. Using a single sign on also means accessing government services will be much more straightforward, saving individuals and businesses money and hours of frustration so they can focus on what matters.

GOV.UK App

The Government maintained that people using the GOV.UK App will be able to quickly manage all of their government activity in one place.

Users will be able to build a personalised homepage of the services most useful to them by answering a handful of simple questions. For example, if you own a car you can opt to see information about getting an MOT or applying for road tax.

With GOV.UK One Login integrated into the app, people will be able to quickly confirm who they are so they can securely interact with services. In future, this will mean users can instantly cancel a stolen passport, find an apprenticeship or apply for benefits from the GOV.UK App.

Notifications will also provide people with alerts, for example an update on the status of their application, or a new policy or service relevant to them, in a move that is expected to significantly cut down on the three million text messages sent by the Government every day. 

The Government’s generative AI chatbot, GOV.UK Chat may in future be added to the app to help people find answers to complex and niche questions, where the relevant information could be spread over dozens of pages.

As a result of the successful trial, plans are being made for GOV.UK Chat to soon enter a further stage of wider, public testing.