Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is developing alternative online identity authentication for people unable to use the Verify system developed by the Cabinet Office.

DWP is planning to use GOV.UK Verify as the preferred option for users to prove their identity when accessing online services, and is working actively with Cabinet Office on implementation plans including data matching, analytics risk engines and complementary telephony and face to face identity security solutions.

GOV.UK Verify is being developed and expanded to meet user needs. Based on plans, performance metrics and costs provided by Cabinet Office, GOV.UK Verify will work for 90% of the population by April 2016 and will continue to develop beyond that so that the vast majority of users of DWP services will be able to use GOV.UK Verify.

Alternative plans to access services will be in place for those citizens who remain unable to identify themselves online using Verify on a service by service basis.