Our latest analysis of millions of identity verification outcomes shows digital ID checks are becoming increasingly accurate, efficient, and frictionless across the legal and property sectors.
The data reveals that 89.3% of digital identity checks are now successfully completed without requiring additional intervention up from 86.1% the previous year.
At the same time, the number of cases requiring manual review has fallen significantly, dropping from 9.1% to between 3–4% annually. The findings demonstrate how advances in digital identity technology from IDSPs such as Credas are helping regulated businesses reduce onboarding friction while maintaining robust fraud prevention standards.
Smarter verification, fewer referrals
Our latest figures indicate a clear shift toward more decisive identity verification outcomes.
While fail rates increased during 2024 as fraud controls tightened, they have since reduced to 6.9% in 2026, suggesting verification systems are becoming increasingly effective at distinguishing legitimate users from higher-risk applications.
For firms operating in regulated sectors such as conveyancing, estate agency, legal services, and financial services, reducing manual referrals is critical. Fewer escalations mean faster onboarding, lower operational overheads, and a smoother customer experience.
Government-issued ID remains dominant
Our data also shows that passports and driving licences account for 99% of all identity documents used during digital verification journeys.
This continued reliance on government-issued ID reflects the importance of trusted, standardised credentials in regulated transactions, particularly where AML and KYC compliance requirements apply.
As adoption of reusable digital identity grows across the UK, these trends highlight the increasing maturity of digital verification processes and growing consumer confidence in remote onboarding.
Balancing security with customer experience
The findings come at a time when identity fraud remains a major challenge across the UK economy.
According to fraud prevention service Cifas, identity fraud accounted for more than half of all fraud cases reported in the UK during 2025.
Rhian Del-Valle, Director of Enterprise Partnerships at Credas, said:
“Seeing referral rates fall so significantly whilst pass rates continue to improve demonstrates that you can reduce friction without compromising on fraud prevention.
The industry has long faced a challenge of balancing compliance obligations with customer experience. What we’re seeing now is that modern identity technology is increasingly able to deliver both.”
The future of digital identity
As digital identity adoption accelerates across property, legal, and financial services, organisations are increasingly moving away from manual verification processes in favour of secure, reusable, and technology-driven compliance solutions.
At Credas, we continue to support this transition through government-certified identity verification services, biometric facial recognition matching, NFC document verification, AML screening, and reusable identity technology designed to help regulated businesses onboard customers faster and more securely.
