Government digital document app launching in summer

The government is to make digital versions of a range of official documents available via a dedicated app and a digital wallet, as part of what ministers say is an attempt to bring interactions with the public “in tune with modern life”.

Veteran cards and driving licences will be the first to be incorporated into a gov.uk wallet, which is being launched this year.

The government is also testing a chatbot which could be added to the app which would “help people find answers to complex and niche questions”.

Earlier, it was announced civil servants will soon be given access to a set of tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and named “Humphrey” after the scheming official from the classic sitcom Yes, Minister.

Tim Flagg, chief operating officer of trade body UKAI, welcomed the initiative but said the name risked “undermining” the government’s mission to embrace the tech.

“Humphrey for me is a name which is very associated with the Machiavellian character from Yes, Minister,” said Mr Flagg.

“That immediately makes people who aren’t in that central Whitehall office think that this is something which is not going to be empowering and not going to be helping them.”

Most of the tools in the Humphrey suite are generative AI models – in this case, technology which takes large amounts of information and summarises it in a more digestible format – to be used by the civil service.

Among them is Consult, which summarises people’s responses to public calls for information.

The government says this is currently done by expensive external consultants who bill the taxpayer “around £100,000 every time”.

Other changes announced include more efficient data sharing between departments.

“I think the government is doing the right thing,” says Mr Flagg. “They do have some good developers – I have every confidence they are going to be creating a great product.”

Science and technology secretary Peter Kyle has announced the new tools, as part of the government’s overhaul of digital services. It comes after its AI Opportunities Action Plan was outlined last week.

As well as the government embracing technology, it hopes to achieve efficiency savings of £45bn.

The gov.uk digital wallet will be available on Apple and Android devices, and alongside a driver’s licence it will allow a user to show proof of benefits or a veteran card.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said the veteran card will be made available to former service personnel later this year.

The driving licence will also be able to be used for buy age-restricted items like alcohol. It is hoped they will also be able to be used for voting in elections and travelling on domestic flights.

Furthermore, there will be a feature that could allow users to hide their address in certain situations where they want to, such as in a bars or a shop.

The DVLA said that in 2024 there were over 52 million driving licences in Great Britain.

Virtual licences are already in use in Australia, Denmark, Iceland and Norway.

DSIT said it hopes many government services will be able to be offered as a digital alternative alongside paper or card versions by the end of 2027.

Mr Kyle added: “Along with CDs, the Walkman and flip phones, the overflowing drawer rammed with letters from the government and hours spent on hold to get a basic appointment will soon be consigned to history.

“gov.uk wallet will mean that every letter or identity document you receive from the government could be issued to you virtually.”

For the gov.uk app, DSIT said users will eventually be able to quickly manage their interactions with government – including MOT and road tax information and applying for benefits – in one place. The app will be available from the summer.