GOV.UK Wallet: your documents and driving licence on your phone

The UK government is building GOV.UK Wallet, an app that will let you keep official documents on your phone. It is being made by the Government Digital Service (GDS) and applies UK-wide. The goal is to have all government credentials available digitally in the Wallet by the end of 2027.

Which documents it will hold

The first was the digital HM Armed Forces Veteran Card, launched in October 2025 and usable by almost 2 million veterans. Next in line is the driving licence. A limited trial of digital driving licences ran in December 2025, and a wider public rollout across England, Wales and Scotland is planned for 2026, after which you will be able to store your licence on your phone.

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Will paper and plastic documents be scrapped?

No. The digital version is designed as an addition to the usual document, not a replacement: the veteran card is explicitly described as "an addition to your physical card." Plastic licences and paper certificates are not going away — the phone simply becomes another convenient way to show them.

How secure is it?

The government says you will have "better control of where your data is and how you share it." So businesses can check a document reliably, a testing sandbox called Digital Verification Services launches from October 2026. In it, shops and bars can practise checking digital driving licences — for example when buying alcohol or opening a bank account.

How it links to government login

The Wallet relies on GOV.UK One Login: a single username and password for government websites. By September 2026, 250 central government services were reachable through it, paving the way to digitise proofs and certificates.

Why the state wants a digital wallet

The Wallet is part of a wider plan to modernise government: one app instead of many cards and certificates that are easy to lose. The idea is to speed up checks — from buying alcohol to opening a bank account — and to let people see who they have shared data with. Using it stays voluntary, and a modern smartphone will be needed.

What to do now

There is nothing special to do: the app is rolling out gradually. If you already have a One Login, that will be your key to the Wallet. For now, all the usual documents — plastic licences, paper certificates — remain valid and can be shown as before. ONLYWAY NEWS will track when digital licences reach everyone and which documents are added next.