What the ADVP Wants from the UK Digital ID Consultation
The UK stands at a decisive moment in the evolution of digital identity. The forthcoming Digital ID consultation is not just a technical exercise. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to settle a foundational question about the digital economy:
Is identity something people own — or something the state owns?
The Association of Digital Verification Professionals (ADVP) has published a detailed paper setting out what success should look like from this consultation.
Here are the things important to us:
1. A unifying vision, rooted in law
The starting point already exists in legislation.
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 establishes a clear principle: people should have meaningful control over their personal data. Digital identity is simply the most visible expression of that idea.
The consultation should therefore articulate a coherent national vision for digital identity based on three pillars:
- Inclusion – systems must work for everyone, including those without passports, driving licences, or full digital access
- Trust – high standards of assurance, transparency, and accountability
- Control – individuals decide who can access their data, when, and for what purpose
Digital identity should sit inside a broader personal data ecosystem, not above it.
2. Wallets, ownership, and real choice
A useful mental model is simple: a digital wallet is a bank account for your data. Your digital ID is just one credential inside that wallet – and people have more than one wallet, just as they choose between banks today.
This framing matters because current GOV.UK proposal risk hard-coding a single route: government-issued credentials, held only in a government wallet, accepted only by government.
That approach must be tested, not assumed, through the consultation.
The alternative — already envisaged by the Data Act — is a plural, regulated ecosystem where:
- government issues credentials and sets standards
- accredited private providers innovate and deliver
- citizens choose where and how their credentials are held
This is how resilience, competition, and trust are sustained over decades.
3. A clear role for the private sector
The UK already has a mature Digital Verification Services (DVS) market, built deliberately over more than a decade.
The consultation should therefore:
- benchmark the GOV.UK Wallet model against DVS Trust Framework alternatives
- publish a transparent impact assessment (cost, delivery timelines, outcomes, and benefits)
- test which approach delivers best value for money, security, accessibility, and user experience
Good policy here is not ideological. It is empirical.
4. Governance that outlasts governments
Digital identity is national infrastructure. It needs stewardship that survives electoral cycles.
The consultation should explore independent oversight — a Bank of England–style role for personal data and digital identity — responsible for:
- long-term roadmaps
- standards and assurance
- conflict-of-interest management
- market stability and portability
Without this, long-term investment and public confidence will remain fragile.
5. Right to Work: collaboration over compulsion
The recent decision to reverse mandatory Digital ID for Right to Work is welcome.
But the policy goal — tackling illegal working and fraud — remains valid. The private sector can deliver these outcomes faster and more cheaply if enabled to do so.
A collaborative model would allow:
- reusable Right to Work credentials issued by certified providers
- consistent statutory excuses for employers
- faster hiring, particularly for SMEs and the third sector
- improved fraud detection through structured signal-sharing
Crucially, the offence remains the employment of illegal workers — not the choice of technology.
6. A moment to choose the future
This consultation is about more than delivery models.
It is about whether the UK builds:
- a closed system that centralises control, or
- an open, regulated market that empowers citizens
The ADVP’s position is clear: government sets the rules, markets innovate, and people stay in control.
Get this right, and the UK reinforces its global leadership in trusted digital services while expanding individual liberty in the digital age.
You can read ADVP’s full report here
Giving Evidence to Parliament: Why Digital Identity Must Be Built on Trust, Not Hype
This week marked an important moment for the UK’s digital identity journey.
On January 28th, our Chair, David Crack, gave oral evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee as part of its inquiry into “Harnessing the potential of new digital forms of identity.” It was one of those moments where policy, technology and real-world experience meet in the same room — and the questions were exactly the right ones.
The Questions That Actually Matter
The Committee focused on the practical realities behind the headlines:
- What does digital identity really cost employers?
- How are certified Digital Verification Service (DVS) providers licensed, trained and governed?
- How is intelligence used responsibly and proportionately?
- How do we defend against hacking, fraud and misuse of data?
These aren’t abstract policy debates. They’re operational, economic and human questions — the kind that determine whether digital identity works in everyday life or becomes another well-intentioned system that struggles in practice.
The Role of the Private Sector: Stewards of Trust
One of the key messages was simple: the private sector in digital verification isn’t just “supplying tech.”
This industry has evolved around protecting sensitive data, preventing fraud and maintaining trust at scale. It deals daily with real people, real documents and real risks. That practical experience matters.
Digital identity done well is not about centralising power — it’s about designing systems where security, privacy and usability move together, not in conflict.
Putting People in Control of Their Information
A core principle highlighted during the session was that individuals must have meaningful control over their own information. Not just the ability to see what’s held about them, but the power to use, share and manage their credentials in ways that serve them.
That’s why strong support for the DVS Trust Framework is so important. A clear, consistent framework gives organisations confidence to operate responsibly and gives the public confidence that systems are being built to defined standards — not improvised as we go.
Smarter Verification, Not More Surveillance
At ADVP we repeat this because it matters:
Smarter verification means less fraud, more privacy and stronger trust.
Digital identity, when designed properly, is:
- Inclusive – working for people who are often excluded by traditional processes
- Transparent – with clear standards and accountability
- Secure – built with data protection and fraud prevention at its core
- Proportionate – solving problems without turning everyday life into surveillance
This is about modernising systems, not monitoring society.
What Happens Next
The oral evidence session is one step in a much bigger process. We will be following up with a written submission to provide further detail and evidence to the Committee. At the same time, we continue to work with Ministers and departments to help shape digital identity outcomes that are:
- Faster for employers.
- Safer for individuals.
- Fairer for society.
If you’d like to learn more or be part of this journey, please get in touch.
🎥 You can watch the full evidence session here
The future of identity in the UK isn’t a distant concept — it’s being shaped right now. The goal is clear: systems that work in the real world, built on trust, inclusion and common sense.
ADVP warmly welcomes the Government’s announcement on Digital ID
ADVP warmly welcomes the Government’s announcement on Digital ID. Making Digital ID mandatory for Right to Work became a distraction – tying two critical policy areas together in a way that proved both unpopular and unworkable. That said, there are real opportunities to strengthen the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF), particularly around improved fraud reporting and modern slavery detection. This has been a long-term campaign for ADVP, and we’ll be submitting our refreshed proposals to Government next week.
We now look ahead to the Government’s promised consultation on Digital ID, due to start this month. We’re especially keen to see a clear national roadmap that gives confidence to investors and direction to regulators to accept Digital IDs issued under the DIATF. This clarity would unlock adoption across the economy, particularly in financial and professional services, updating the Money Laundering Regulations, while also tightening gaps in the Companies House regime. We’ll be working closely with our colleagues at techUK to ensure industry feedback to Government is clear, consistent and constructive.
We also look forward to further detail on plans to digitise age assurance and make legislation consistent — both online and for real-world purchases such as alcohol, tobacco, vapes, knives and similar restricted goods and services. A key step will be updating the Mandatory Licensing Conditions. Alongside our colleagues at the AVPA, we’ll support the Government in shaping public understanding and trust in these measures.
Finally, we look forward to working with the Cabinet Office, and particularly Josh Simons, to champion digital inclusion and support the design and cross-government delivery of the Digital ID programme. The Government Wallet and Government IDs, both physical and digital, have a role to play in a regulated Digital Verification Services (DVS) market built on genuine consumer choice and personal data sovereignty.
As an industry, we are keen to see value for money by building on existing DVS capacity which avoids duplication, reduces cost to the public purse and increases speed of delivery. The DIATF is about giving citizens true ownership and control of their data. We need to work with a joined up government and build on the existing Data, Use and Access Act to deliver digital identity verification that makes daily life easier, safer and more inclusive, genuinely empowering citizens to have control over their lives like never before.
We’re mobilised, empowered, certified under the DIATF and ready to go. Let’s make 2026 the year Britain finally steps into a fairer, smarter digital future.
Thank you to Biometric update for publishing an article on the ADVP AGM and our plans for 2026
Digital ID done right is inclusive, transparent, secure and accountable. Read the full article here.
The Association for Digital Verification Providers (ADVP) has announced its priorities for 2026, following its annual general meeting on Tuesday.
The group says it will focus on driving productivity and economic growth across the U.K., while ensuring that digital innovation leaves no one behind. ADVP leaders argue that the government’s identity agenda can be delivered rapidly and cost-effectively under existing legislation — without reopening debates over national ID cards — simply by scaling approaches already in place. The attached report outlines the organisation’s proposals more fully.
ADVP Open Letter to Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office 6th November 2025
Today we’ve taken an important step.
We’ve written to the Rt Hon Darren Jones MP to welcome the renewed momentum behind digital identity — and to call for clarity, collaboration, and a shared approach to building trust.
As an industry, we know how to move fast and safely.
We deliver millions of identity checks every year, supporting jobs, housing, safeguarding, financial access, volunteering, and inclusion.
But the future we’re shaping now is bigger than checks — it’s about dignity, portability, and meaningful participation in society.
Our message is simple:
- Government sets the standards, rights and guardrails
- Industry brings the innovation, usability and pace
- And people should remain in control of their own data
To move forward together, we have invited Government to meet and to establish a cross-industry advisory forum — so that decisions are informed by evidence, grounded in trust, and shaped with the people they affect.
This moment matters.
If we get it right, the UK can lead the world in a digital identity ecosystem that is voluntary, inclusive, values-driven and human-centred.
Read the Open Letter here.
ADVP Press Release 25th September 2025
British digital identity companies already operate at global scale, completing around 1.2 billion checks each year across many areas including Right to Work and Right to Rent, DBS, age assurance, payments and financial services, home-buying, and pensions. With the introduction of Digital ID being accepted as proof of age for buying alcohol later this year , volumes are expected to rise even further by 2026. (ADVP stats).
Read the full press release here
ADVP TBI Response Briefing Paper September 2025
The ADVP warmly welcomes the clarity and substance of the TBI Digital ID Policy Paper of 24 September 2025. Its research into public attitudes provides an invaluable foundation for shaping policy. While this note highlights points of agreement and areas for refinement, our perspective — as you would expect from the commercial sector — is rooted in the realities of implementation and delivery. It is from this lens that we offer our companion analysis.
Our recommendations are for a public and private sectors to work together harnessing existing processes and enabling consumer choice. We share TBI’s central conclusion that digital identity is a national priority, essential for public trust, social inclusion, and the safe evolution of AI.
Where we refine the argument is in calling for a stronger role for the private sector to innovate and deliver securely at pace. UK identity companies already perform over 1.2 billion checks globally each year. We are mobilised and ready to realise the economic dividend of the UK’s Data (Use and Access) Act — a world-first reform projected to generate £10 billion to the UK economy over the next decade. This thriving sector is not theoretical; its operational now, its exporting now, and is a genuine UK success story
Read the full press release here
ADVP advocates for digital ID firms stuck between big tech and govt wallets
The Association of Digital Verification Professionals (ADVP) is amplifying its advocacy for UK digital identity firms caught between the dominance of Big Tech platforms and the government’s own digital wallet initiatives. As public sector projects like the Gov.uk Wallet gain momentum, ADVP warns that without clear regulatory frameworks and equitable access, smaller digital ID providers risk being marginalized. The group is urging policymakers to foster a balanced ecosystem that supports innovation, competition, and user trust.Computer Weekly
Read the full article: ADVP advocates for digital ID firms stuck between big tech and govt wallets
UK government set to finally meet with digital identity providers – but will anything change?
The UK government is set to engage with digital identity providers, signaling a potential shift in its approach to digital identity systems. This meeting aims to address longstanding concerns from the private sector regarding access to official data and the establishment of clear regulatory standards. The outcome could influence the future landscape of digital identity in the UK, balancing innovation with privacy and security considerations.Computer Weekly
Read the full article here: UK government set to finally meet with digital identity providers – but will anything change?
Industry and Government at a Crossroads: Defining the Future of UK Digital Identity
02/05/2025
This May will shape the next decade of digital identity in the UK — but only if clear principles, collaboration, and trust lead the way.
The UK’s digital identity sector stands at a pivotal moment. Now is the time to get involved and begin the public debate, we would like to hear from you.
Following the surprise announcement of the GOV.UK Wallet in January, questions have emerged that go far beyond the future of OneLogin. They strike at the heart of how the UK’s digital identity ecosystem will evolve over the next decade. This week’s announcement that Google also intends to partner with Rail Delivery Group to verify eligibility criteria for Railcards further complicates the picture.
On 7th May, major industry bodies — techUK, the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA), and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Digital Identity — will hold a joint meeting of their members. This is in preparation for an even more critical engagement: a meeting with government officials on 14th May, including representatives from GDS (Government Digital Service).
At stake are some of the most fundamental questions facing the sector:
✅ What do we want the UK digital identity ecosystem to look like in 5, 10 and 15 years time?
✅ How will regulation foster innovation, accountability, and public trust?
✅ How can we prevent the emergence of monopolies — whether public or private — that risk stifling competition and innovation?
✅ What certainty can be offered in the Data (Use and Access) Bill to rebuild investor confidence from May onwards?
At stake is simply not a question of business versus government in respect to ID, but rather, what type of country do we all want to live in? A choice between central government or big tech does not feel like much of a choice at all.
We at the ADVP believe this debate is about something far greater: shaping the national infrastructure for digital identity in a way that works for everyone — citizens, businesses, and the public sector alike.
The OfDIA (Office for Digital Identities and Attributes) has already outlined clear principles that should underpin the UK’s approach:
✅ User choice
✅ Interoperability across services
✅ Portability of credentials
✅ Standards-based competition
✅ Market trust and transparency
✅ Inclusive access for all citizens
While the GOV.UK Wallet may have political momentum — driven in part by advisers associated with the Tony Blair Institute — the process so far has lacked the broad consultation and technical alignment needed to ensure long-term success. The recent letter from 50 Labour MPs, while showing support for a government-led identity wallet, overlooked the quiet success of Right to Work and Right to Rent checks — systems built on Home Office and OfDIA principles, and successfully delivered by private-sector certified IDSPs.
The lack of clear engagement from GDS, contrasted with ongoing constructive dialogue between OfDIA, the Home Office, IDSPs and the ADVP, remains a concern. Trust cannot be built without transparency — especially when it comes to infrastructure as critical as identity.
The government consultation on the government wallet on 14th May will be critical in determining the path forward in both its tone and its content. We would also like to understand Government’s view on the role of ‘bigtech’ versus the home grown innovation fostered by OfDIA.
We call on government to work with the certified IDSP community so that together we can build a shared vision and roadmap for the UK digital identity ecosystem, one which underpins and protects the national interest for the digital world and beyond.
If the UK gets this right, the benefits will extend beyond digital identity itself. We could establish a global leadership position in balancing innovation, trust, and citizen empowerment — not only in identity, but in how democracies adopt AI and data-driven technologies responsibly.
A new model is possible. One that is neither government nor ‘bigtech’ controlled but instead champions user ownership and control, interoperability, and vibrant competition.
The conversations this month could set the course for the next decade — or see us miss a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
It is up to all of us — industry, government, and civil society — to get this right.
If you care, get involved. We would like to hear from you.
David Crack
Chair
ADVP
May 2025