UK to see introduction of digital passports and driving licences

Mr Kyle revealed the new smartphone app as part of efforts to simplify government interactions. “The overflowing drawer rammed with letters from the government and hours spent on hold to get a basic appointment will soon be consigned to history,” he said.

The digital wallet, set to launch in June, will initially hold a driving licence and an armed forces veteran’s card. Future expansions will allow access to accounts for student loans, vehicle tax, benefits, childcare, and local councils. Mr Kyle’s department is collaborating with the Home Office on introducing digital passports, which would complement physical ones. However, their use would depend on international border systems.

He said: “We’re keeping a close eye on international standards. When those standards become clearer then, of course, you have the government that would aspire to be able to benefit from it as much as possible.”

The wallet, similar to those on Apple and Google devices, will function as an individual ID sufficient to prove status. Officials highlighted practical uses, such as a football coach instantly sharing their disclosure certificate or benefits recipients claiming welfare discounts.

Mr Kyle clarified there are no current plans to use the wallet for proving immigration status but said: “We’re just in the foothills of this.”

He addressed concerns over data breaches, stating that the app’s design adheres to “existing data law” and includes recovery systems for lost phones. “We are going to transform the relationship between citizen and state,” Mr Kyle said during an event inspired by Silicon Valley product launches.

Mr Kyle argued that digital services would enhance support for those without internet access. 

“Making government services more online does not mean that those people who can’t access the internet will be left behind,” he said. “In fact, what we are discovering is that the more we make online services easier to access … we as a government can start focusing human resources on those people need and can only interact in a human way … We will deliver public services that are more human, not less.”