Digital driving licences on the way

The new licence will be one of the first digital documents in a Gov.UK Wallet and will allow people to prove their age from their phone in shops or online. The digital licence comes alongside other new and improved ways for people to interact with government digitally. The ‘expansive blueprint’ shows how the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which will now be home to a revamped Government Digital Service (GDS), will use digital tools and data to transform public services and help the taxpayer benefit from £45bn in efficiency savings – a key part of Labour’s Plan for Change.

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.

DSIT said the Gov.UK Wallet would allow users to securely store government-issued documents on their phones and use them easily when needed. The technology will make use of security features that are built into modern smart phones, including facial recognition checks similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card, to help ensure that digital documents will be more secure, even if a device is lost.

Advertisement