England and Wales permit approved digital apps for age checks

Pubs and shops in England and Wales can now accept government-approved digital ID apps alongside physical documents when checking customers’ ages. Ministers say the option could make checks quicker and limit the personal information shared, while campaigners warn it must not become a requirement.

Pubs and shops in England and Wales can accept digital ID applications on smartphones to verify customers’ ages under rules introduced on Tuesday, according to the BBC. The apps are an additional option to existing physical forms of identification, although businesses are no longer required to accept physical ID under the change.

Customers can choose among apps from approved suppliers, including the Post Office, Yoti and Luciditi. The scheme is intended to be technology-agnostic, meaning the government has not specified in detail how each service must operate. It also wants different services to work together, and for checks to remain available without mobile data or a Wi-Fi connection.

The government says digital checks could be quicker and more secure, while allowing customers to disclose less information than they would by handing over an official document. Depending on the service, a person might tap a phone against a reader or display a QR code that a business scans with a checker app.

The apps must address the risk of people borrowing another person’s device or sharing proof of age. The BBC reports that Yoti checks whether a user’s face matches the person who registered for the app. Its system then creates a time-limited QR code, intended to make copying or sharing it more difficult.

Digital government minister Stephanie Peacock said the option would mean people did not need to carry physical identification or hand over sensitive personal information. UKHospitality chief executive Allen Simpson called the rules a positive step, but said the sector would work with the government to ensure the rollout was not burdensome and remained cost-efficient.

Privacy campaigner Jasleen Chaggar of Big Brother Watch said digital identification should not become effectively mandatory. She said some people rely on physical ID because of privacy or security concerns, or because they lack the skills or means to use digital services, and urged the government to require reasonable alternatives. The scheme could later be expanded to cover tobacco and vapes.