UK gov’t to design and build national digital ID in-house

The UK government plans to design, build and run its digital ID in-house, rather than outsourcing it to a private-sector developer, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones says.

Jones stated the intention while showing off a prototype of the “Government by app” on Tuesday.

The Government Digital Service will support the overall government effort, he says.

Jones reiterated that the plan does not include creating a new centralized database, and that the data accessed through the app will remain with the responsible department.

“For instance, data about your benefits entitlement will stay with the Department for Work and Pensions. Your driving data will stay with DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), your tax data with HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs),” he said, according to PA Media.

With the DVLA currently processing 45,000 letters and HMRC handling 100,000 phone calls each day, Jones believes the government can save “tens of billions of pounds” in expenses by automating processes with the app.

Health services are not included, as they will remain the domain of the NHS app. Childcare, pensions statements and HMRC data could be added eventually, but Jones indicated they are not likely this year. New services added to the app will likely need to be approved by Parliament.

Other details will be worked out during or following the current eight-week consultation, including whether the digital ID should be available to people above 16 years of age, which is the government’s current plan, or to younger people as well.

Another detail yet to be ironed out is the cost of the project. A preliminary estimate from November that it will take 1.8 billion pounds (approximately US$2.4 billion) over the next three years still stands. The Cabinet Office says in the public consultation document that: “At this stage of development, it is not possible to definitively estimate the cost to government from developing and running the digital ID system.”

The same document forecasts £4.3 billion ($5.8 billion) in net economic benefits for the UK over the next decade.

Article Topics

digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  DVLA  |  GOV.UK Wallet  |  government services  |  UK digital ID