The Government is seeking views on how digital ID could be used to make public services quicker, easier and more secure to access.
Launching a national public consultation, Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said the government needs to catch up with services offered by the private sector, such as online banking.
“People too often dread their interactions with public services,” Jones said. “Endless telephone calls, complicated printed forms and having to tell your story multiple times to different parts of government.”
He added:
“I want to change that and make public services work for you. The new digital ID will make that possible, allowing you to log on and prove who you are to access public services more quickly, easily and securely.
“Supermarkets, banks and shops have all chosen to move their services online because it delivers a better customer experience and value for money, and other countries like Estonia fully digitised public services years ago. We need to catch up.
“We’re launching a public consultation to let you have your say about how we use digital ID to make public services work for you. We want to build a system that works for everyone. Now is your chance.”
Alongside the consultation, the government will reveal images and videos of a working prototype of the system showing how people could log on to a single app and prove who they are, ending a reliance on multiple logins and paper documents to access the support they need, saving time and effort.
Government by app will be as easy and secure as online banking, Jones said, and will be available to those who want it.
“It will remove the frustration of endless telephone calls, complicated printed forms and people having no idea of how long it will take them to get the support they need.”
Existing routes to accessing public services will continue to be available for those who prefer them.
The consultation will aim to discover how digital ID can best work for people across the country and use the feedback to build a system that can help them access services and offer the best possible benefits. The system is part of wider government plans to reform public services, modernise public sector technology and replace legacy systems.
Alongside the eight-week online consultation, the government will establish a people’s panel on digital ID, bringing together people across the country from different backgrounds. The panel will have in-depth discussions, sharing different views on the proposals and will agree ways to move forward.
Open consultation: Making public services work for you with your digital identity
