UK Pubs and Bars Can Accept Digital ID Apps for Age Checks From September 15

The apps named in the change include Yoti ID and Post Office EasyID. Under the scheme, a customer presents a QR code to be scanned or taps a phone against a reader, rather than handing over a physical document for staff to inspect. Staff checking a passport or driving licence have to work backwards from the current date to establish whether a customer has reached 18; the digital check is intended to remove that manual step.

TechRadar reported that the change should be simpler for 18 and 19 year olds, who are unlikely to leave a phone at home but may forget a driving licence. The publication also noted that faster checks at the bar would be welcome to customers who currently wait while age verification is carried out.

A potential problem lies in the time limit attached to verification. Citing the Guardian, TechRadar reported that a customer will typically have only about 30 seconds between scanning their face on their phone and validating the credential with the retailer, a measure intended to stop underage drinkers from borrowing an older friend's phone. The publication said it had not tested the apps itself.

TechRadar's writer raised concerns that the requirement could lengthen rather than shorten waits, describing the prospect of a queue of young adults at a music venue bar each trying to complete a face scan and reach the front within 30 seconds. The article also pointed to lighting as a practical obstacle, noting that gig venues are rarely brightly lit and that face scans may fail without proper illumination.

According to TechRadar, fingerprint scans or PIN codes would be a better option than facial recognition if the apps support them, and provision needs to be made for the apps to work offline. The publication said it expected early difficulties as venues and customers adjust to the scheme.

The writer, who said they are well past the age at which they could be mistaken for being under 18, added that if the government expands the scheme further, they would like to see the apps supported at supermarket self-checkouts so that a member of staff does not have to be called over when alcohol is bought. Physical ID remains an accepted alternative at all venues, and no venue is obliged to accept digital ID.

Editor's Summary

From September 15, UK licensed venues may accept digital ID apps such as Yoti ID and Post Office EasyID as proof of age, with physical documents still valid and take-up voluntary for venues. TechRadar, citing the Guardian, reported a roughly 30-second window between a face scan and validation with the retailer, and questioned whether face-based checks will slow service in busy or dimly lit venues. The publication suggested fingerprint or PIN verification and offline support as alternatives, and called for the apps to be extended to supermarket self-checkouts.