GOV.UK One Login Adds Open Banking to Identity Checks

The UK Government Digital Service (GDS) has awarded Ecospend a £4.7 million contract to provide open banking services for GOV.UK One Login, adding another route for people to prove their identity when accessing government services.

The contract covers identity verification, identity validation and fraud risk assessment, with work scheduled to continue until February 2029. Introduction of the new verification option is expected in 2027.

GDS's published roadmap describes the proposed process. Users will sign in to their online banking and share information from their account to support identity checks. This would provide another source of evidence alongside One Login's existing verification methods [1].

One Login combines account access with identity proofing for participating government services. Users currently prove their identity through its smartphone app, by answering security questions online or in person at a participating Post Office branch. The route offered depends on their device and the identity documents they hold. Verified identity information is saved for reuse across connected services.