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