SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

The UK government has moved to allow digital identity apps to be used as proof of age for alcohol sales. From Autumn 2026, certified apps such as Yoti and Post Office EasyID could be accepted.

The measure follows the laying of a statutory instrument to amend the Mandatory Licensing Conditions. It remains subject to parliamentary procedure, but if approved it will widen proof-of-age options for people buying alcohol in shops, pubs, bars and other licensed venues.

Under the updated rules, only digital identity apps provided by certified and registered Digital Verification Services will be accepted. Yoti and Post Office EasyID already meet those requirements, according to Yoti.

The change marks a notable shift in how age checks are carried out in retail and hospitality settings. Instead of presenting a physical driving licence or passport, users of approved apps would be able to show digital proof of age on their phone.

More than 8 million people in the UK have already downloaded either the Yoti app or Post Office EasyID, according to Yoti, which added that thousands more download the apps each day.

Under the process described by Yoti, customers open the app, take a selfie to confirm they are the owner of the digital ID, then show an age credential to a member of staff or at a self-checkout. This allows people to prove they are over 18 without disclosing other personal details, the company said.

For businesses, Yoti offers an ID Checker app that staff can use to scan a QR code shown in a customer’s digital ID app. The tool is designed to verify whether the credential is valid without displaying or storing personal information.

Yoti said the ID Checker app will accept any digital ID that is certified and listed on the Digital Verification Services register. More than 13,000 people across the UK have already installed the free version of the checker app, according to the company.

The government’s approach limits acceptance to registered and certified providers rather than opening alcohol age verification to any digital wallet or app. The framework is intended to ensure that only approved services can be used in licensed premises.

Certified providers can use different sources of identity evidence when setting up a digital proof of age. These can include physical documents, information held by public authorities and digital credentials issued by government.

That means future forms of government-backed digital identification, such as a digital driving licence, could also become relevant to alcohol age checks once they are available through certified services. For now, Yoti and Post Office EasyID are among the services most directly positioned to benefit from the change.

The development is likely to be watched closely by retailers and hospitality operators that handle high volumes of age-restricted sales. It also adds to the broader use of digital identity systems in everyday transactions, as policymakers and businesses test whether app-based checks can reduce reliance on paper and plastic documents.

Robin Tombs, Chief Executive Officer of Yoti, welcomed the move in a statement.

“The acceptance of Digital IDs for alcohol sales is a major milestone for the UK. This will transform how people prove their age at licensed premises including supermarkets, convenience stores, bars, pubs and nightclubs. We’ve been working towards this for years. When we started Yoti in 2014, young adults told us they wanted to use our app at the supermarket and on nights out. We’re excited this will soon become a reality. With our Digital ID app for customers and ID Checker app for businesses, we’re setting a new standard for age checks in the digital age. This technology will empower businesses to confidently accept digital IDs, ensuring compliance while improving the customer experience. People should be able to prove their age without revealing any other personal information, and Yoti digital proof of age makes that possible. We welcome these changes, which will give licensed businesses a trusted way to verify age while offering millions of individuals a faster and more convenient experience,” said Robin Tombs, Chief Executive Officer of Yoti.

Women in TechWorks held its inaugural ‘Engineering Intelligently’ event at Arm’s Cambridge headquarters, drawing about 160 attendees and a waiting list of more than 150.

The turnout highlighted strong demand for women-focused technology leadership events, with registrations exceeding expectations. Attendees included women and allies at different career stages, as well as people in finance, human resources and business roles.

The event featured keynotes, workshops, networking and discussion, with sessions on mentoring, leadership, retention and the impact of artificial intelligence on workplaces and executive decision-making.

Charles Sturman, Chief Executive Officer of TechWorks, linked the initiative to broader skills and leadership gaps in the sector.

“I am proud of what we have achieved here today,” Sturman said.

“The UK has a strong research, innovation and engineering base, but we need more skilled technology and business leaders to help companies scale. This initiative helps address that gap by encouraging more women with the interest and ability to build careers in tech to enter the sector, stay in the sector and progress into leadership, bringing with them valuable diversity of thought, experience and perspective.”

Opening address

The day opened with remarks from Jillian Hughes, founder of Women in TechWorks, who spoke about her career path and the need to ensure women are not excluded during a period of rapid technological change.

“If you told the apprentice version of me that I’d be standing up here 35 years on, opening this event at Arm today, I would have just laughed,” Hughes said.

She also addressed the industry’s wider talent picture.

“We are living through one of the most significant technology transformations of our generation,” Hughes said. “The UK is very good at developing technology. However, developing technology alone is not enough to compete on the global stage. We need the talent and the skills to do so, and women remain underrepresented in the technology sector. To succeed, we need to harness the full spectrum of talent.”

Charlotte Eaton, chief people officer at Arm, delivered the keynote speech. She organised her remarks around five themes: courage, relationship building, range, brand and adaptability, drawing on her career in banking, fast-moving consumer goods and technology.

One example focused on confidence and decision-making early in a career.

“Confidence rarely arrives before the action,” Eaton said. “It normally arrives following it. In that moment I derived a value I have carried with me for more than two decades: I never put anyone above me, and I never put anyone below me in my mindset.”

Eaton, who described herself as a “boomeranger” after returning to Arm, also spoke about the need to unlearn as careers progress.

“A lot of what it takes to progress is knowing what you have to let go along the way,” she said.

She then addressed the gender gap in technology and the pace of change in the sector.

“In times of significant change, including technological shifts, opportunities will arise. When those openings come, are you ready to step forward?” Eaton said.

Her closing remarks returned to the role of people in a field shaped by technical change.

“Undoubtedly technology will continue to evolve. But humanity remains our edge. It is the sparkle of human potential that will continue to be the multiplier for us. Progress has always been a collective effort, and changing the shape of the context for the generations that come will take all of us,” she said.

Skills pipeline

The morning programme also examined how organisations can attract and retain more women in technology roles. Mahdieh Ghoddusi, director of delivery at the UK Electronics Skills Foundation, outlined work aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in electronics through initiatives that start at school age and continue into higher education.

According to figures shared at the event, the foundation’s Girls into Electronics programme has supported 1,500 girls to date. Its scholarship scheme has provided nearly 1,000 students with industry work experience over 15 years.

Survey findings presented during the session showed that almost half of women studying electronics felt the field was not for them. The data underlined the need for support not only at entry level, but throughout education and the early stages of a career.

The afternoon turned to workplace change, with sessions on AI trends and executive leadership in an AI era. Discussion focused on how leaders are navigating rapid technological shifts while building inclusive teams and systems.

For many attendees, one of the most striking aspects of the day was being in a technology setting where women formed the majority. Networking sessions during breaks and lunch were active, with participants exchanging advice, contacts and personal experiences.

Men also attended, and some signed up as mentors during the event. Hughes said several male participants remarked on how unusual it was to see so many women gathered in a technology environment, underscoring the work still to be done across the industry.

At the close of the event, Hughes reflected on both attendance and engagement.

“I have been absolutely overwhelmed, not just by the number of attendees in person and online, but by how many people are interacting with each other who have not met before, the quality of speakers, and the key takeaways. I hope one of the main takeaways is: be bold, be brave, and don’t assume that ambitions are obvious. There’s a buzz about the place, there’s a genuine want for an event like this; people want to be here, and I’ve already been asked about the next one. Arm has been really supportive, and I’m overwhelmed by the sponsors, speakers, partners, attendees and, of course, the TechWorks staff. This event is not about displacing men – we absolutely need men as allies, and I’m delighted to see men here today signed up as mentors already,” she said.

Founded by Starlin Marot in September 2025, Bad Girl Books began as a series of pop-up events designed to bring the online romantasy community together through indie books, special editions, and merchandise.

Ms Marot, originally from Palm Beach County near Miami, will open the new store in Walton Street on Saturday, followed by a series of author visits throughout the summer.

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The store, a former ceramics studio, will stock one of the UK’s largest dedicated ranges of romantasy titles – about 2,000 books – alongside special editions, gifts, merchandise and products from independent female-owned brands.

There are other stores in the UK which have romantasy books but this is claimed to be the first store solely dedicated to the genre.

Romantasy fiction fans queue up outside an event (Image: Starlin Marot)

Ms Marot said she was inspired to start reading romantasy fiction, a fantasy romance crossover genre, three year ago after trying a novel by Sarah J Maas, one of the leading authors in the genre.

She added: “The reason I like the romantasy genre so much is because it is so inclusive and empowering.

“It can be empowering to celebrate stories written by women, which feature women’s voices and desires.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting lots of new customers.”

Bad Girl Books in Oxford (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Bad Girl Books’ first pop-up event in London tempted more than 1,000 people to sign up within three days, while more than 8,000 readers have attended its last four pop-up events across the UK.

The launch in Jericho will be marked by a “mini-summer romantasy festival” every Saturday and Sunday in July and August, when more than 50 authors will host signing tables in the shop, which has been painted pink and looks ready to open.

Starlin Marot outside a Bad Girl Books pop-up event (Image: Starlin Marot)

Ms Marot, a former marketing student, said the store is intended to fill a gap in both the local community and the wider UK book market.

She said earlier: “I started Bad Girl Books as a way to meet the romantasy community in real life and create a genuinely fun, unique shopping experience.

“The response has honestly been unbelievable. So many people showed up to the pop-ups that I was able to scale incredibly quickly, and within six months I’d raised enough money to open a permanent shop.”

Starlin Marot who is opening a new bookstore (Image: Starlin Marot)

Sarah J Maas is thought to have sold more than 75 million books worldwide. Her fantasy series, including A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, and Crescent City, have been translated into 40 languages.

Her readership is heavily driven by the BookTok community on social media, and she frequently tops the charts as one of the bestselling living fantasy authors.