From today, new rules allow pubs, bars, restaurants, music venues and shops in England and Wales to accept digital proof of age for alcohol sales, letting customers use a phone app instead of a physical driving licence or passport. The move comes just two months after Prime Minister Andy Burnham scrapped his predecessor's national Digital ID scheme, which would have created a government-backed credential and mandatory digital right-to-work checks. Although that broader project was killed off, the underlying digital identity infrastructure has survived and is now being put to a more everyday use.

The new system relies on the UK's existing Digital Verification Services (DVS) framework, which predates the scrapped national scheme, and providers must be certified against the government's trust framework and listed on its statutory register to a "medium level of confidence". Apps such as Yoti ID, Post Office EasyID and Luciditi are among those already usable, letting customers confirm they are over 18 via a QR code or compatible reader without revealing their name or address. The change is entirely voluntary for both businesses and customers, facial age-estimation technology is excluded, and staff are still needed to handle issues like drunk customers or adults buying alcohol for minors.