Five new providers join flagship identity verification service
The public will get more choice when verifying their identities online using the GOV.UK Verify service.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude has today announced that the public will soon be able to choose from 5 new identity providers as well as the existing 4 providers when accessing government digital services via GOV.UK Verify.
GOV.UK Verify is transforming how the public identify themselves when using government services. The new system works by letting users pick from a range of certified companies who check and verify their identity. People simply verify their identity once in a process that takes just 15 minutes and can then use this single account whenever they subsequently use a government service such as HMRC’s Self-Assessment tax returns.
Learn more about GOV.UK Verify and how it works.
The award of these contracts will extend the number of identity providers available on GOV.UK Verify, helping to expand the coverage, diversity and quality of the service. GOV.UK Verify forms part of government’s wider digital transformation by enabling people to prove their identity entirely digitally when using digital by default services.
Working with certified companies means your information and transactions with government are safer, simpler and faster than any other method. This is because:
- there’s no central storage of information so your personal data is more secure
- it’s completely online
- the company you choose can’t use or share your data without your permission
The new providers announced today are Barclays, GB Group, Morpho, PayPal and Royal Mail. They will join the existing suppliers - the Post Office, Experian, Digidentity and Verizon – and this means that people can choose from a wide range of providers with different specialities when verifying their identity.
Representatives from the new suppliers signed new contracts today.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude said:
Hardworking people expect to be able to access public services at their convenience so as part of our long-term economic plan we are moving a first wave of 25 ‘exemplar’ services online.
We are making it easier for everyone to prove their identity online without building a single database or reintroducing an illiberal ID card scheme. Our online verification scheme empowers citizens to select the provider they want to manage and prove their identity.
GOV.UK Verify is being designed and built by Government Digital Service (GDS), working closely with government departments who provide services to the public, together with private sector and privacy consumer groups.