UK consumers confirm shift towards digital identity during lockdown likely to be permanent

Since the beginning of lockdown measures in late March 2020, digital services have been the only recourse for consumers needing to prove their identity in order to access services, whether that be authenticating with an insurer, or applying for a loan. This has led to a shift in consumer behaviour, with 3.5 million UK adults proving their identity digitally for the very first time.

According to the Nomidio this shift is likely to be permanent, with 54% of first-time users likely to continue authenticating and verifying their identity digitally in the future. The overall number increases when the overall population is factored in, with 84% of respondents having increased their use of digital services during the lockdown period.

Furthermore, the analyses expose consumer concerns about the way their data is managed. 70% of respondents feel they have no control over how their data is stored, and 77% of first-time users feel vulnerable about having multiple digital service providers holding their Personally Identifiable Information such as Date of Birth, Address, and Mother’s maiden name.

The data also suggests that consumer concerns are well-placed. As many as 7 million UK adults were asked to send scanned copies of sensitive ID documents, including passports, driving licenses, via email during the lockdown period. And 80% of respondents were asked to use digital identity methods generally considered inadequate by privacy experts.