Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Please enter CoinGecko Free Api Key to get this plugin works.

Finance News

The UK government is launching a digital ID mobile app

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge; Getty Images

The UK government is going to launch an app that will allow citizens to digitize their driver’s licenses. Science Secretary Peter Kyle announced on Tuesday that the GOV.UK Wallet launching for Android and iOS devices later this year will let users securely store government-issued documents on their phone, allowing them to be accessed immediately instead of waiting for physical versions to arrive in the mail.

The wallet will utilize smartphone security features like facial recognition to help protect users’ personal data. Veteran cards for former military personnel will be the first documents supported, followed by a pilot for mobile driver’s licenses “later in 2025.” All UK government services that provide paper or card credentials will be expected to offer a digital alternative by 2027. Traditional physical documents will still be available.

“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,” Kyle said in the announcement. “GOV.UK Wallet will mean that every letter or identity document you receive from the government could be issued to you virtually.”

According to Kyle, the new digital wallet app is intended to give UK citizens more control over their own data, making it easier to prove eligibility for welfare benefits and purchase age-restricted products in stores. People in the UK are currently required to present physical identity documents (if assumed to be underage) when clubbing or purchasing alcohol, running the risk of having them lost or stolen.

The UK is also launching a new GOV.UK app in summer 2025 that will allow users to access government information, and, eventually, complete tasks like canceling stolen passports and applying for welfare benefits from their phones.

There are also plans to add an AI-powered chatbot, imaginatively called “GOV.UK Chat,” to the app, which TechCrunch reports was co-developed by OpenAI, and to add “ways to make payments and receive timely notifications” for government services.

You May Also Like

Finance News

Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge Samsung is making the Galaxy Ring available to more people by adding size 14 and 15 rings...

Finance News

The Verge eBay has “signed a definitive agreement” to buy online automotive transaction platform provider Caramel to help make buying and selling vehicles on...

Finance News

Image: Adobe Adobe is launching new generative AI tools that can automate labor-intensive production tasks like editing large batches of images and translating video...

Stock News

In this exclusive StockCharts video, Joe demonstrates how to use the 1-2-3 reversal pattern as a buy signal on the weekly chart. This approach...



Disclaimer: financehightech.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.