The hospitality and retail sectors will be empowered to adopt certified digital identification technology to verify legal alcohol purchases under new rules to be rolled out by the UK government.
Operating alongside – but not replacing – traditional physical forms of identity such as driving licences or passports, Westminster said the changes will make age checks quicker, easier and more secure for both customers and staff.
The changes to Section 182 of the 2003 Licensing Act come in the wake of a 2024 consultation in which 72% of respondents said that they supported the use of digital ID for age verification when buying alcoholic drinks.
The government said that although it would take time for businesses to adopt and accept digital IDs, the new system will ultimately prove a more convenient alternative to carrying a physical form of ID.
The government said that the simple act of showing a QR code or tapping a device on a compatible reader will confirm to staff that a customer is over 18 with more confidence than merely checking a physical document because in the background, certified services will have already checked the ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it.
This will also serve to cut the risk to businesses of accidentally letting a fake or borrowed ID slip through the net.
Meanwhile, for customers, besides putting an end to worries over leaving your driving licence at home, the government claimed it will also improve personal security to a small extent by eliminating the need to hand over a physical ID showing personally identifiable information.
And when speed is often of the essence, both businesses and customers will benefit from more efficient service, whether in a supermarket at 5:30 on Christmas Eve, a packed pub on a Friday night, in a loud and dark nightclub, or during a break at a sporting event.
“From pubs and restaurants to music venues and festivals, licensed businesses carry out millions of age checks every year. It will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt it, and physical ID will remain a valid way for customers to prove their age,” said digital government minister Stephanie Peacock.
“This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out.”
UKHospitality chief exec Allen Simpson added: “Introducing digital proof of age is a positive step for hospitality, providing greater flexibility and convenience for customers and businesses.
“The roll-out of the voluntary digital proof of age will provide an easier experience for customers, allowing them to verify their age securely from their phones.
“We look forward to working with the government to ensure the roll-out of the scheme, with multiple supplier options available, is cost-efficient and not burdensome for the hospitality sector,” said Simpson.
Familiar faces
Similar services are already well in use across the UK as a means to help people verify their identify online to access services, and the new rules build on this existing certified technology from the likes of Yoti, which collaborated on a similar service for the Post Office in 2021.
Yoti co-founder and CEO Robin Tombs described the change in the law was a landmark moment for digital identity in Britain.
“We’re delighted that businesses in England and Wales can now start accepting apps like Yoti ID and Post Office EasyID as proof of age for alcohol sales,” he said. “It gives premises an additional way to carry out age checks while offering customers a convenient alternative to physical ID.”
Digital proof of age will have to be provided through a certified digital verification service listed on the statutory register on Gov.uk, which has been shown to meet relevant standards under the UK’s digital verification services trust framework. For now, digital proof of age will be separate from digital driving licences and Gov.uk Wallet, although in time it is hoped both these forms of ID will come in scope.
Crucially, shops and hospitality venues will not be forced to adopt any such digital identification system and can continue to use physical ID checks, said the government.
