Digital ID

The UK’s developing digital identity system is structured around the Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF), administered by the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), which certifies organizations that meet strict technical, security, and privacy standards for verifying and sharing identity data.

Unlike a centralized national ID, the UK’s approach is federated and voluntary, allowing citizens to hold reusable credentials for government and private services.

These credentials are managed through the forthcoming GOV.UK Wallet, part of the wider GOV.UK One Login initiative, which will let users securely store and present verified attributes such as age, right-to-work status, or qualifications without repeatedly re-proving their identity.

Under DIATF, accredited identity providers, attribute providers, and orchestration services are listed on a public trust register, ensuring transparency and interoperability.

Pilot programs with organizations like Companies House and HMRC are already testing the system, which is intended to simplify digital access while enforcing data minimization, encryption, and user consent as core design principles.