The UK is reportedly set to introduce digital driving licences by the end of the year, with the IDs accessible through a government smartphone app.

According to an article in the Times, the new technology aims to simplify everyday activities that require identification, such as alcohol purchases and check-in procedures for domestic flights, helping to streamline purchasing processes that usually require approval from a staff member.

Other processes in which it will be possible to use digital driving licence identification also include voting.

The new digital driving licence will be available through a new government application called Gov.uk, designed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

The newspaper said that the new application will feature a wallet similar to many banking applications, featuring security measures such as biometrics and multi-factor authentication to allow exclusive access to actual licence holders.

It added that it will also include further security measures such as allowing users to hide their address in certain situations, such as in bars or shops.

The Times added the government is said to be considering integrating other services into the application, including paying taxes and applying for benefits. Other forms of identification, such as a national insurance number, could also be integrated.

Digital driving licences will not be available on existing digital wallets, such as Apple or Google Wallet.

Traditional driving licences will continue to be issued, while the use of a digital version of the driving licence will remain completely optional.

A government spokesperson told BBC News: "This government is committed to using technology to make people's lives easier and transform public services.

"Technology now makes it possible for digital identities to be more secure than physical ones, but we remain clear that they will not be made mandatory."

With this move, the UK government will align with similar initiatives taken in Australia, Denmark, Iceland and Norway, where digital identification is already available.

By 2026, every EU member state will need to offer at least one form of digital ID as part of a broader digital transformation initiative within the bloc.

Known as the European Digital Identity Wallet, the digital wallet enables users to identify themselves to public and private online services across Europe.

“The wallet will be a mobile app enabling users to identify themselves to public and private online services, all over Europe,” the EU Commission says on its website. “In addition, users will be able to store, present and share digital documents (everything from university diplomas to train tickets) as well as electronically sign or seal documents.”

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