HooYu, Yoti now certified digital identity service providers for Right to Rent checks in the UK

Yoti and the Post Office, as well as HooYu have become the first certified digital identity service providers (IDSPs) for Right to Work, Right to Rent, and criminal records checks in line with the UK Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).
The move will enable British and Irish citizens to use their passports to streamline the aforementioned processes using the firms’ digital ID verification software instead of needing to present physical documents.
“Digital identity is at the heart of the UK government’s Digital Strategy […] and HooYu’s certification as an identity service provider means that businesses and consumers can trust what we do and the way we do it,” comments Gareth Narinesingh, HooYu’s head of digital identity.
“We have worked tirelessly to build world-class identity solutions and being certified in this way is testament to our expertise and product capability,” Narinesingh adds, months after HooYu’s acquisition by Mitek.
In-branch verification services will also be offered at Post Office branches as part of the collaboration for people who are unable, or who choose not to use online verification.
According to Yoti, the new infrastructure will reduce the time necessary for applications, mitigate risks more efficiently, ensure compliance and provide the reassurance of secure, encrypted document storage.
“Certification under the [DIATF] represents the gold standard of Digital Identity service provision with security and privacy prioritized, meaning clients have no concerns about GDPR,” explains Yoti Chief Commercial Officer John Abbott.
From a regulatory standpoint, the UK Government is now effectively shifting the responsibility for conducting these Right to Rent checks from the Border Force to the letting industry.
To achieve certification, Yoti together with the Post Office, and HooYu completed an audit process undertaken by the Digital Identity Systems Certification service authorized by the Departure for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and UKAS, the accreditation body.
In terms of individual digital ID providers, Yoti will provide its verification services through a partnership with lettings management software company Propoly.
“We’re delighted to help Propoly offer digital Right to Rent checks; this will speed up the lettings process, is more secure, and could enable tenants to move sooner than if they have to travel and then have their documents photocopied and physically checked,” Abbott adds.
For context, legislation allowing UK employers, landlords, and letting agents to use the services of digital ID service providers (IDSPs) when carrying out identity verification checks first came into effect in April 2022, a month after the UK government established the interim Office for Digital Identities and Attributes to oversee security and privacy for digital IDs. The possibility of employers and landlords using such services began on 6 April 2022.
Article Topics
biometrics | certification | DIATF certification | digital identity | Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF) | HooYu | identity verification | IDSP | standards | UK | UK GDPR | Yoti
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