A new way to sign in using passkeys has been rolled out across GOV.UK One Login. During trials, researchers measured whether users would feel confident using passkeys for authentication and could complete the end-to-end onboarding journey.
Senior User Researcher Wathanga Muya said the trials were designed to “understand what people thought they were setting up, whether they understood what would happen next, and what they needed to feel in control of the decision.”
Three hundred thousand people successfully switched to passkeys during the initial trial period, he said, leading the way for 23 million users to now verify themselves using their fingerprint, Face ID, or PIN instead of a password, in the same way they unlock a phone.
A passkey provides a secure login eight times faster than signing in with a username, password, and two-step verification code, while protecting against phishing and cyber threats. Unlike passwords, which scammers can steal through a phishing email or website, passkeys are tied to specific websites and devices and cannot be reused.
The emerging impact is a faster, stronger sign-in process, which saves the British taxpayer nearly £600 a day in SMS costs.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock commented:
“Nobody enjoys hunting for a forgotten password or waiting for a text message code just to check their tax return or renew a document. Passkeys mean people can access the services they rely on in seconds, using the same fingerprint or face scan they already use to unlock their phone.”
The One Login system creates smooth access to a range of government benefits and services, and it has also been upgraded with AI tool integrations in recent months. Millions receive instant information and guidance from government-built chat tools to access services like tax and childcare support.
This GOV.UK One Login milestone highlights key themes, such as phishing-resistant authentication, seamless user onboarding, and biometric verification, that directly mirror the core discussions at Identity Week Europe 2027. As European public sector bodies and digital identity providers gather at the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam (June 15–16, 2027), real-world deployments like passkeys will serve as primary reference points for building secure, scalable national identity frameworks.
