GOV.UK One Login: A Plain English Guide

If you have tried to access a government service online recently and been asked to create a "GOV.UK One Login", you are not alone in finding it confusing. It is a new system that is gradually replacing the old Government Gateway and other ways of signing into GOV.UK services, and most people encounter it for the first time in the middle of trying to do something else entirely. 💚

This guide explains what GOV.UK One Login is, how to set it up, how to prove your identity, and what to do if you hit a problem along the way.

1. What is GOV.UK One Login?

GOV.UK One Login is the government's new single sign-in system for accessing services on GOV.UK. The idea is straightforward: one account, one set of login details, for all government services, rather than a separate username and password for HMRC, the DVLA, and every other department.

It is still rolling out. Not every service uses it yet, and some well-known services such as Universal Credit still use their own separate login. But over time, GOV.UK One Login will replace all other ways of signing in to services on GOV.UK, including the Government Gateway.

If a service you are trying to use requires a GOV.UK One Login account and you do not have one yet, you will be prompted to create one at that point. You do not need to set one up in advance.

2. Which services use it now?

The list of services that have moved to GOV.UK One Login is growing. You can see the current list at home.account.gov.uk/services-using-one-login.

Services already using it include a range of HMRC and DWP tools, as well as services for checking your State Pension, applying for certain licences, and more. If you have already used one of these services and proved your identity, that identity check is saved to your account, so you will not need to repeat it for other services that require the same level of verification.

Simple action: If you are not sure whether a service you use has moved to GOV.UK One Login, visit the service as normal. It will tell you if a One Login account is needed.

3. How to create your account

Creating the account itself is straightforward. Go to home.account.gov.uk and select "Create a GOV.UK One Login".

You will need:

• An email address you can access
• A way to receive a security code (by text message or an authenticator app)

Enter your email, choose a password, and set up your second factor for security. That is the basic account. You can sign in to some services with just this.

For services that need to know who you are (not just that you have an account), you will also need to prove your identity. This is a separate step, explained below.

💡 Tip: Use an email address you check regularly and that you will still have access to in years to come. Avoid using a work email address if you are setting this up for personal government services.

4. Proving your identity

Some services require you to prove your identity before you can use them. Once you have done this once, the result is saved to your GOV.UK One Login, so you will not need to go through it again for other services.

There are three ways to do it:

Using the GOV.UK One Login app

Download the app on your phone, then use it to scan your photo ID and take a short video of your face. You will need a phone with a working camera: an iPhone 8 or newer running iOS 16.7 or higher, or an Android phone running Android 10 or higher.

Accepted photo ID for the app: UK passport, UK photocard driving licence, non-UK passport with a biometric chip, UK Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), Biometric Residence Card (BRC), or UK Frontier Worker permit.

Answering security questions online

If you would rather not use the app, you can answer security questions on the GOV.UK website instead. These cover financial details such as bank accounts, credit cards, mortgages, or mobile phone contracts. You will also need to enter details from a UK passport, UK photocard driving licence, or a current account with a UK bank or building society.

At a Post Office

If you prefer to verify in person, you can visit a Post Office that offers in-branch verification. You enter your photo ID details on GOV.UK first, then visit the Post Office where they scan your ID and take a photo. You usually receive the result by email within a day.

Accepted photo ID at a Post Office includes UK and non-UK passports, UK and EU photocard driving licences, and national identity photocards from EU countries, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

5. What if you do not have a smartphone?

The Post Office route is designed for people who do not have a smartphone or do not feel comfortable using an app. You can complete the online part of the process on a desktop or laptop computer, then visit your local Post Office with your photo ID.

The security questions route also works on a desktop computer without needing a smartphone, as long as you have the required financial or ID details to hand.

Simple action: Find your nearest participating Post Office at postoffice.co.uk/identity/in-branch-verification-service before you start the process, so you know where to go.

6. Getting help if you get stuck

If something goes wrong during the sign-in or identity verification process, you can contact the GOV.UK One Login team directly through home.account.gov.uk/contact-gov-uk-one-login.

You are also allowed to ask someone you know and trust to help you set up and use GOV.UK One Login. There are specific guidelines on what a helper can and cannot do on your behalf, which you can read at gov.uk/guidance/help-someone-use-govuk-one-login.

The most common problems people run into are using an expired document that is no longer accepted, receiving a security code on an old phone number, or not having the right type of photo ID for the method they chose. All of these have workarounds. The contact page above is the best starting point.

GOV.UK One Login can feel like an obstacle when you first come across it, but once the account and identity check are set up, accessing government services online becomes considerably easier. You do the work once and it carries through. 💛

Get started at home.account.gov.uk or contact the support team if you need help. If you are based in Ireland and looking for the equivalent, our guide to MyGovID covers the Irish system. If you are in the Netherlands, our guide to DigiD explains how that works. Browse more Una guides for plain English help with digital tools and government services.