England and Wales have introduced new regulations allowing the use of approved digital identification apps on smartphones to prove age, a move aimed at making age checks quicker and more secure for businesses and consumers. This change permits pubs, bars, restaurants, music venues, and shops to accept digital proof-of-age alongside traditional documents like passports and driving licenses. Customers will no longer be required to carry physical identification when purchasing age-restricted goods.
The government is adopting a technology-agnostic approach, allowing a range of approved providers, including the Post Office, Yoti, and Luciditi, to offer digital ID services. The system is designed to verify that an individual is over 18 without revealing unnecessary personal information such as full names, addresses, or dates of birth. Users can present a QR code or tap their phone against a reader, with apps like Yoti using facial verification to confirm identity. The QR codes are time-limited to prevent misuse.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock stated that the new option allows individuals to avoid carrying physical ID and sensitive personal information, potentially enhancing safety during nights out. The hospitality industry has welcomed the development as a positive step, though it has urged the government to ensure the voluntary system does not impose excessive costs or bureaucracy on businesses.
Plans are in place for different digital ID services to be interoperable across various venues, and for the systems to function without mobile data or Wi-Fi to accommodate areas with poor connectivity. The legal drinking age remains 18, and existing safeguards against underage sales are still in effect. Businesses retain the option to use physical identification.
The government's decision follows a 2024 consultation where 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol. The technology may eventually be expanded to include the purchase of tobacco and vapes.
However, privacy campaigners have voiced concerns, warning that digital ID should not become effectively compulsory. Jasleen Chaggar of Big Brother Watch highlighted that individuals may have valid reasons for relying on physical ID, such as privacy concerns, lack of digital skills, or personal choice. She urged the government to ensure businesses offer reasonable alternatives to digital ID checks.
This initiative is distinct from a broader national digital ID program previously proposed by Labour and later scrapped. The new system relies on certified private-sector services and is presented by the government as potentially improving privacy by allowing age verification without the disclosure of extensive personal data. While parliamentary analysis suggests digital credentials can confirm age without revealing specific details, privacy groups have raised concerns about potential data breaches, profiling, and digital exclusion.