Digital identity has burst onto the scene in the last few years and momentum is only getting stronger. Digital driving licences, digital passports, digital documents – they’ve all been dubbed to drive the next movement in remote verification and push the ID space into a whole new era.
We’re now closer than ever in the UK, with the Smart Data Bill, also known as the Data (Use and Access) Bill finally receiving Royal Assent and becoming an Act of Parliament and legally binding law in June 2025.
Below, we look at what the bill is, why it’s come into play and what it means for the ID verification space.
What is the Data Use and Access bill?
First brought to light in the House of Commons back in 2022, it was originally called the Smart Data Bill and was raised in relation to how personal data is used, verified and shared across public services, law enforcement, healthcare and businesses.
The key goal of the bill is to empower consumers and businesses to easily and safely share their data, support innovation and ensure strong safeguards around data privacy, security and consent. It covers digital privacy, data protection, electronic trust services, biometric data oversights, and establishes the Information Commission to ensure proper regulation.
The Data Use and Access Act (DUAA) amends, but does not replace, the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy Electronic Communications Regulations. It also emulates the UK Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF), overall strengthening the UK’s data protection regime.
Why the change in trust framework has come about
With the world moving towards more digital services across every sector, a need for updated and reformed guidelines and data protection law became evident to match the speed in which technology is advancing, particularly in the property sector.
In 2025, we are no longer satisfied with lengthy compliance processes and manual documentation. For example, paper-based IDs and having to verify yourself in person slows down process such as account opening, insurance, or the home buying process dramatically. It means hours spent doing manual administration, which is prone to human error and increased risk of fraud.
Repetitive identity checks across multiple services are also a big issue. There is a big lack of conjoined efforts when it comes to compliance, mainly because it has not been digitalised or streamlined yet. Someone buying a property needs to do an ID verification check on average, 5.4 times in one transaction.
Without digital services, many people struggle to prove their identity. Women regularly fail ID checks due to name changes through marriage or divorce, when updating their ID is costly and time consuming. Similarly, under represented communities or low income households could also struggle to travel in person to verify themselves or being unable to keep their ID up to date due to cost or circumstances.
Manual ID verification is a struggle, and one we’ve bore for far too long. Regulators have recognised the need for changes in the law to catapult digital advancements forward, such as digital ID wallets and reusable compliance.
How will the Data Use and Access bill help public services?
For the future of the UK’s economic growth and the public services within it, the Data Use and Access bill will help in 3 key areas: smart data schemes, public service reforms and digital verification services.
By going digital with things such as ID and banking, we can create smart data schemes that make it easier for sectors to not only stay fully compliant with regulations but also cross share data safely and securely.
The new bill will also support public services, reforming outdated practices and bringing them into the digital age, such as encouraging the transition from paper to an electronic birth and death certificate.
The big one for a tech company such as Credas is the bill will help guide digital verification services. Part 2 of the bill has already laid out the foundations of a statutory digital ID trust framework, where a public register was made of certified digital ID providers with a government-backed trust mark. We are proud to say that Credas is one of the Certified Digital Identity Service providers (IDSPs) that are certified against the ID trust framework.
But the bill will allow us to go further, paving the way for further digital enhancements such as the recently announced Gov.uk wallet which will include digital documents such as the digital driving license and digital veteran cards.
What does digital ID and digital verification services mean for property sector?
With the act allowing for more streamlined digital services such as wallets, the whole dynamic of onboarding and ID verification will completely change, bringing economic benefits and secure processing of digital information. On top of that, IDSPs such as Credas will also branch out into further wallets, such as the recently announced Credas Compliance Wallet, which will not only cover digital ID, but also digital compliance checks such as AML, PEPs and sanctions checks, plus more. It will also be able to fully integrate with the Gov.uk wallet.
We can make onboarding up to five times faster than it currently is, with reduced admin and close to zero human error with automated decision making. With digital wallets, we can make manual checks completely redundant.
Home buyers will also have a much smoother ride of the home buying process. Instead of having to go through multiple checks across multiple points of the home buying journey, they can verify once with their digital wallet using their digital IDs and that info will be shared across sectors such as conveyancing, banking, etc.
Wallets will come with higher security and less opportunities for fraudsters to commit identity theft. You can’t lose a wallet as it will be digitally held, also allowing for extensive audit trails and stronger data protection. With the Data Use and Access bill in place, it’s opening doors for a better, brighter future when it comes to the ID verification space.
