Digital driving licenses will be introduced later this year under plans to use the technology to “revamp” public services.
The licenses will be available on a new government mobile phone app and will be accepted as a form of identification to purchase restricted items such as alcohol and to vote in elections, as well as proving someone’s right to drive.
Veteran cards will also be available on the GOV.UK Pockets app when it launches this summer, and DBS checks, blue badges and other government-issued credentials will be available later.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle He said the app “will mean that every letter or ID document you receive from the government can be issued virtually.”
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The changes follow a report which found public services were losing £45bn in productivity savings due to old and outdated technology.
The app will also aim to make it easier to use government services, such as applying for childcare and social benefits, finding an apprenticeship position or reporting a lost passport.
Other features will include notifications about new policies and service announcements, while an AI chatbot could be added in the future to help people find answers to “complex and specific questions”, the government said.
Physical documents will continue to be available, but the goal is for all government services to have to offer a digital alternative by the end of 2027.
The digital documents will use technology built into smartphones, such as facial recognition, so “they will be more secure, even if the device is lost,” the government said.
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Kyle added: “Along with CDs, Walkman and flip phones, the drawer full of government letters and the hours of waiting for a basic appointment will soon be history.
“GOV.UK Pockets will mean that every letter or ID card you receive from the government can be issued virtually.
“For people who choose to use GOV.UK Pockets, they will find it easier to prove they are eligible for benefits or prove their age when purchasing alcohol or DIY equipment, with more security and confidence than ever before.”
Several countries have already introduced digital licenses, including Australia, Denmark, Iceland and Norway, as well as some US states.
In the EU, each member state will have to introduce at least one form of digital identification by 2026.
The advertisement does not reach mandatory national identity documentsas pushed by former Labor Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair and former Conservative leader Lord William Hague.
The two have previously joined forces to call for a new ID incorporating details such as passport, driving licence, tax records, qualifications and right to work status, which could be stored on a mobile phone.
Sir Tony tried to introduce such a plan when he was in power, but the coalition government ruled it out.
He argued it could save the Treasury £2bn a year in the long term and help control migration, but the concept was quickly accepted. discarded by the Labor Party after it won the July general election.
Opponents of ID cards have expressed concerns about privacy and what they see as unnecessary data collection by the state.
