2.5M Scots embrace MyAccount, Yoti digital ID

Over 2.5 million Scottish people are now using MyAccount and reusable digital ID from Yoti in a bid to streamline everyday administrative tasks. The Improvement Service, the organization responsible for enhancing local government operations in Scotland, launched MyAccount in 2014 as a single sign-on portal.

Half of Scotland’s eligible population (those aged 12 and over) now use the MyAccount service, and all 32 local authorities in Scotland have integrated MyAccount.

The platform allows citizens to access a range of public sector services with one username and password, for tasks such as paying council tax, applying for parking permits, updating personal details, and managing school meal payments.

In 2018, the Improvement Service partnered with Yoti to enhance identity verification with biometrics for services requiring a higher level of security. Yoti’s technology allows citizens to prove their identity within the MyAccount portal by scanning a QR code with their Yoti digital ID or using an online verification process, enabling the Improvement Service to fully digitize the application process for National Entitlement Cards (NEC).

Since the introduction of the online NEC application in July 2020, over one million applications have been processed, with Yoti verifying the identity of each applicant. According to a case study from the company, this process now takes only 5 days, compared to between 4 and 6 weeks previously.

Building on the digitization of the NEC, the Improvement Service has recently launched digital right-to-work checks for MyJobScotland. The new feature allows job candidates to complete their right-to-work verification online using MyAccount and Yoti.

The Scottish Government’s ScotAccount platform is designed to streamline access to public services with a single, secure login. Laurie Brown, the digital information security officer for the Scottish Government, recently emphasized the balance between security and usability.

In a recent blog post, Brown says: “There are several other methods available to help protect authentication, and ScotAccount currently offers multi-factor authentication, also called 2-step verification as one example of this.

“Multi-factor authentication is an excellent example of where the ScotAccount security programme chose not to trade-off usability and security.”

Brown is also leading initiatives to provide strategic direction and oversight for a range of digital public services, particularly in the wake of Scotland’s digital identity service‘s reimplementation.

Yoti reports UK milestone

The UK’s three digital ID apps powered by Yoti, Yoti ID, Post Office EasyID and Lloyds Bank Smart ID, have reached a combined 5 million downloads, the company has revealed in a separate announcement.

They can be used for identity verification and a set of status checks required by regulators, such as for employment eligibility.

Each of the three were also officially approved for age verification by the national Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) in June.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  face biometrics  |  MyAccount (Scotland)  |  reusable digital ID  |  ScotAccount  |  Scotland  |  UK  |  Yoti