Yoti, Licensing Connect prepare UK pubs for digital proof-of-age

It’s a good day for UK pubs. On top of the new prime minister’s announcement of a 20 percent cut in business rates for drinking establishments, Yoti has announced a partnership with Licensing Connect, aiming to help hospitality and retail businesses adopt certified digital age verification ahead of promised changes to the Mandatory Licensing Conditions.

It has become something of a running joke in the biometrics industry to suggest that people in the UK might soon be able to use digital ID to prove their age at a pub. The first promised date  was Christmas 2025 – in retrospect, a disappointing yule for those hoping to use their digital IDs to buy a round on Christmas Eve.

The latest date to have been set is Fall 2026, in an announcement from Minister of State for Policing and Crime Sarah Jones.

Some have their doubts about the government’s ability to hit that target. But Yoti’s new partnership will do what it can by way of support.

Licensing Connect’s platform enables businesses to access and manage staff training tools and records, a refusal register, visitor book, and accident and incident logs. By integrating Yoti’s free Digital ID Connect ID Checker into the Licensing Connect app, it adds digital age verification and regulatory compliance to the menu.

The integration means staff at licensed premises, including pubs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and retailers, can use any smartphone with the app to verify digital IDs certified against the UK Digital Verification Services (DVS) trust framework. Yoti’s QR-code based age verification system eliminates the need for physical ID checks, and means customers only share an age result (such as “over 18”), without disclosing any personal information.

Per the release, Licensing Connect can also automatically generate an audit trail and update its refusals register whenever an age challenge is made.

Record keeping, age checks all in one place

Yoti CEO Robin Tombs says the acceptance of digital IDs for alcohol sales is “a significant milestone for the UK, giving people a new, trusted way to prove their age in convenience stores, bars, pubs and nightclubs.”

“Our partnership with Licensing Connect will help licensed premises adopt digital proof of age with confidence by giving staff the tools they need to accept digital IDs. Together, we’re helping hospitality and retail businesses meet regulatory requirements while providing a faster, more private and convenient experience for customers.”

David Dadds, CEO of Licensing Connect, says that, “by combining trusted age verification technology with Licensing Connect’s compliance, training and record-keeping tools, we are helping the hospitality and retail sectors prepare for the future while improving compliance, reducing risk, enhancing customer privacy and helping businesses remain inspection ready.”

Yoti highlights Checker interoperability

In a post on LinkedIn marking the partnership, Tombs gets so bold as to ballpark the month in which the change actually happens.

“Around October/November in the UK tens of millions of adults are going to have the choice to prove their age digitally for alcohol purchases using their phone,” he writes.

The Yoti CEO notes that iBeta certified liveness and face matching is completed on-device, and no photo is transferred to the shop assistant’s ID Checker screen, or the self checkout screen – “just a privacy respecting green approval.” He also points out that the Checker app is interoperable, “meaning it can check age credentials from other certified DVS issuers such as Luciditi.”

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometric liveness detection  |  face biometrics  |  hospitality  |  QR code  |  retail biometrics  |  Yoti  |  Yoti ID Checker