Deloitte is being asked to consult on the UK’s new digital identity app. The company has signed a new £4.8 million contract with Government Digital Service (GDS), and will be offering technical and logistical expertise to help the agency consolidate its identity framework.
In that regard, the new GDS app is intended to replace the UK’s outdated Verify digital identity service. The agency is hoping that the replacement will provide a better user experience, with a single sign-on approach that allows citizens to use one app to gain access to a wide range of government services through their smartphones. According to a procurement notice that was issued in October, the new app will run on both Android and iOS devices, and have NFC reading capabilities to ensure compatibility with modern identity documents.
The Deloitte contract covers a two-year period that ends in February of 2024. GDS has previously indicated that the app could be ready for an initial deployment sometime before the end of 2022, and that it is currently reaching out to other government departments to get them on board with the new platform. However, GDS is yet to confirm how many services will be available through the new app when it does make its debut.
The finished app will eventually be used to perform identity checks when people use smartphones to interact with the government, and reflects the broader interest in mobile IDs internationally. The TSA and multiple states are working with Apple to roll out mobile IDs in the US, while Yoti has teamed up with the Post Office to launch a new EasyID app in the UK. The eight countries in the Digital Identity Working Group have also published a set of guidelines that would allow countries to recognize digital documents issued in other jurisdictions.
Source: UK Authority
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