People in the UK are conducting an increasing amount of their day-to-day activities online.

Whether it is checking bank accounts, purchasing products and services, or accessing government benefits, online services are steadily (in some cases rapidly!) replacing paper-based approaches.

Digitisation of services offers a whole range of economic and social opportunities to consumers. But, it also presents risks, especially when it comes to the security of individual identification processes.

Clearly, the need to produce copies of physical documents as part of the process of identity assurance is somewhat anachronistic in the modern world. Equally, the fact that existing digital identification processes tend to be related to a single service only (and non-transferrable) creates security concerns, as people tend to respond to the need to memorise multiple log-in details by selecting weak passwords.

These issues point to the need for a secure digital ID that can be used to access multiple services. It is good to see that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has recognised this and is leading the way with its recent call for evidence. Of course, the pensions sector stands to benefit from the development of a portable digital ID market.

To maximise the communication and engagement benefits of the pensions dashboard project, we need to avoid the appearance of layers of log in requirements. A single, portable digital ID will solve this issue.

The PLSA looks forward to taking part in further discussions on the development of a digital ID market and how the pensions sector can help to facilitate it.

Share Story: