Passkeys rolled out to make access government services online more secure

Faster and more secure passkeys are being rolled out for the more than 23 million people accessing government services online through the GOV.UK One Login service.

Passkeys allow for users to sign into the service using their fingerprint, face ID or PIN instead of a password, allowing for faster log-ins than a traditional username, password and two-step verification. More than 300,000 users successfully switched to passkeys during an initial trial of the system.

GOV.UK One Login provides access to a growing range of government services, including checking a State Pension, managing tax services and accessing childcare support. With one-in-ten users now accessing government services with a passkey, the change is saving taxpayers around £600 per day in the cost of text messages for two-step verification.

The National Cyber Security Centre recommends passkeys as a more secure alternative to passwords, because they can’t be intercepted, reused or stolen.

Jonathon Ellison, NCSC Director for National Resilience said:

“The introduction of passkeys for GOV.UK One Login will give users a faster, simpler and more secure way to sign in to many public-facing government services while leaving password headaches behind.

“Cyber criminals often look for the easiest route to access important accounts, which means login details remain a common target. But passkeys offer a highly phishing-resistant alternative to passwords, frustrating attackers and saving the public time.

“We strongly encourage users to set up a passkey for GOV.UK One Login and to do so wherever passkeys are available across digital services. By taking this small but significant step, you can help protect your online accounts and raise our collective resilience, making the UK safer.”

Passkeys are optional, so people can continue to use a password to sign in if they prefer. Those who choose to set up a passkey can use their device’s existing security features to access GOV.UK One Login quickly and securely.