One Login UK government single sign-on ‘probable’ within 18 months

A single One Login account could unlock every central government service within 18 months, according to the Government Digital Service (GDS). Natalie Jones, GDS director for One Login and verified credentials, said the programme has reached 256 services and 23 million users. It is a forecast rather than a guarantee, and some migrations are still under way.

One Login central government services: what is changing

Jones was speaking at Think Digital Identity and Cyber Security for Government. She told the audience: “Within the next 18 months, it’s not just possible; it’s actually probable that people will use One Login to access every single central government service. So the rhetoric will have become the reality.”

In plain English, the aim is one account and one way of signing in, instead of separate logins for different departments. HMRC entered public beta with One Login in February, after what Jones described as three years of work between GDS and the department.

That is only the first stage of a three-phase integration. New HMRC users are already using One Login. The next stage will migrate existing Government Gateway users, followed by people who use HMRC services professionally as part of their jobs. Jones gave no dates for those two phases, so anyone with an existing Government Gateway ID should not expect to be moved yet.

Jones also said the programme has grown quickly. “12 months ago, GOV.UK One Login was a platform with potential,” she said. “Today, 23 million people use it. There are 256 services on it.”

Who pays more or less

The update did not mention any charge to users for having or using a One Login account, and nothing in what Jones said suggests one. The costs that were mentioned sit with government. GDS recently awarded open banking provider Ecospend a £4.7 million contract to support identity verification, identity validation and fraud risk assessment for One Login.

The likely gains for users are in time and access. GDS expects passkeys, which about 300,000 people chose during their first month, to halve sign-in times. It also expects them to make accounts less vulnerable to phishing and other cyberattacks.

There is also a fairness point. Earlier knowledge-based verification questions relied on a person’s financial footprint, which could be difficult for people with little or no credit history. A new route built with the Department for Work and Pensions uses information DWP already holds. According to Jones, early results show nearly twice as many people complete the new module as completed the previous version.

A worked timeline: what happens and when

The sources give several dates but no single schedule. Putting them together gives a rough picture of the next 18 months. The final row is our own calculation, counting 18 months from the date of Jones’s remarks on 8 October 2026.

For a driver, that means a digital licence in the GOV.UK Wallet could be available from spring 2027 if testing goes to plan. Jones said the wallet is not just a licence on a phone. Verified credentials could let organisations check information directly from an authoritative source, and let you share only what a transaction needs. Someone proving their age, for example, would not necessarily need to disclose their full name, address or driving history.

What to do now

The wider rollout is still in testing. There are still some sensible steps. If you use HMRC online, check whether you are a new user, who is already being offered One Login, or an existing Government Gateway user, whose migration has not started. Keep your Government Gateway details safe until you are told to move.

If you already have a One Login account, consider switching to a passkey where it is offered. GDS expects passkeys to halve sign-in times and to resist phishing better than standard logins. Also keep an eye on official GOV.UK messages.

If you would rather not, or cannot, use digital services, Jones said alternatives will remain. “There are exception processes for all the services we work with, and we maintain a sort of canonical list of those things to make sure that they get appropriate investment as well,” she said. The aim, she added, is that people for whom online is not the right option still have “a decent channel that doesn’t rely on it”.

Your questions answered

Will One Login really cover every central government service?

Jones called it “probable” within 18 months, which is a confident forecast but not a commitment. The HMRC migration has taken three years to reach its first phase, and two phases remain. The claim covers central government services, so local services such as those run by councils are not part of it.

What else could go into the GOV.UK Wallet?

The wallet already holds the digital veterans card, which became its first government-issued digital credential last October. Jones said GDS has identified around 80 credentials that could eventually be made digital, including passports, birth certificates, proof of benefits, DBS checks and fishing licences. No dates were given for these.

How will I be able to prove who I am?

Routes using documents such as passports and driving licences will continue. GDS is adding the DWP-based knowledge route, and open banking is expected to roll out in 2027. Under that route, users can choose to share information held by their bank to help prove their identity.