Government’s digital identification system Verify is ‘failing users’
The government’s flagship digital identification programme is failing users and has not delivered value for money, according to a damning new report.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has slammed the Verify programme, which it said has been hampered by a catalogue of problems and has failed to deliver the benefits originally promised.
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The software, which allows users to verify their identity online, has so far been adopted by only 19 government services, under half the number expected, according to the PAC.
In addition, only 3.9m people have signed up as Verify users since it launched in 2013, falling well behind the target of 25m users by 2020.
The spending watchdog said those members of the public who have signed up have been plagued by technical issues, including difficulty signing up and accessing multiple government services.
“Once again, the government has not delivered on a project that was over-ambitious from the start,” said PAC chair Meg Hillier.
“This is a verdict the Public Accounts Committee are making all too often on large government projects.”
The PAC slammed the government for overestimating the benefits Verify could achieve, and accused the Cabinet Office of failing to take responsibility for the programme’s failings.
It added that some of the most vulnerable users, such as those applying for Universal Credit, are among the worst affected.
The watchdog has called on the government to outline a plan for improving the service, especially for members of the public using Universal Credit. It has also asked for clarification on what will happen to Verify after 2020, when the programme will stop receiving public funding, amid fears government services could face a sharp price hike.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “Verify has saved taxpayers more than £300m and is a world-leading example of how to enable people to use services securely online.
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“The PAC report reflects that this has been a challenging project – but challenges like these are to be expected when the Government is working at the forefront of new technology.
"Verify is now at a point where it can be taken forward by the private sector, so people will be able to safely and securely access both private and public online services.”