The GOV.UK app is set to drive huge growth in the number of UK residents using digital identity. A new report from Juniper Research suggests that those using digital identity apps will rise from 6.9 million in 2025 to 25.5 million in 2029 – a growth of 267 percent.
GOV.UK offers a digital identity platform that streamlines access to government services. More than 45 percent of the UK adult population will adopt the app by 2029, says the analyst firm.
The research, Digital ID & Verification in the UK Market 2025-2029, found that third-party apps will grow by just nine percent between 2025 and 2029; a result of the GOV.UK app becoming a primary method of verifying an individual’s information, both remotely and in-person.
In January the UK Government announced a GOV.UK Wallet, which will allow users to store government-issued documents on their phone to use when needed. By the end of 2027, it said, the Wallet will include documents like Veteran Cards, DBS checks and other credentials issued by the government.
However, the GOV.UK Wallet and App will also support use cases like buying alcohol, which had been earmarked for the 50+ identity providers that have been certified against the UK Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).
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Richard Oliphant, a legal expert on international digital identity schemes, noted: “It means that the GOV.UK Wallet will be competing with wallets issued under the UK DIATF. Is that a fair fight and can the DIATF-certified identity providers capitalise on first mover advantage?”
Juniper said the introduction of the GOV.UK app will force third-party providers to “re-strategise and place greater emphasis on advertising their verification services for onboarding onto the GOV.UK app.”
Report author Thomas Wilson said: “In order to retain a role within the digital identity ecosystem, third-party identity providers must seek certification against the government’s trust framework, or they will be bypassed by certified providers and lose out on additional revenue.”
The report asserted the combination of government certification and third-party verification technologies as critical to overcoming concerns among UK citizens around privacy, which have been a long-term stumbling block to digital identity growth and promoting further adoption.
