Passkeys will be rolled out across GOV.UK One Login to provide a faster and more secure way to access government services.

The passkey will let people securely sign in using their fingerprint, Face ID or PIN instead of a password. Passkey logins are up to 8 times faster than signing in with username, password and 2-step verification code.

During the initial trial, more than 300,000 users successfully switched to passkeys and now nearly one in 10 daily GOV.UK One Login sign-ins are being made using passkeys. This is saving £600 a day in SMS costs.

Passkeys are secure because they are tied to a specific device and website, passkeys cannot be guessed or reused, and there is no password for scammers to steal through a phishing email or fake website.

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

The biometric or PIN information used to unlock a passkey stays on the user’s device and is not seen or stored by GOV.UK One Login.

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.

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."