Scottish Government chooses Vouchsafe to bring public services to one million Scots
Chloe Coleman
We’re thrilled to announce that the Scottish Government has selected Vouchsafe to help bring essential public services to one million people across Scotland.
This partnership, formed through the CivTech programme, addresses a long-standing challenge: how to provide equitable access to vital services for those without conventional forms of ID.
At Vouchsafe, we believe identity verification should be inclusive. Millions of people in the UK, and over a billion globally, lack basic forms of identification, such as passports or driving licences.
This creates barriers to accessing critical services, from healthcare to financial support. In Scotland alone, this issue affects thousands.
Vouchsafe changes the game by leveraging trusted relationships. Our technology enables someone to vouch for the identity of someone they know, bypassing the need for traditional photo ID.
This innovation makes it possible for more people to access the services they need, while upholding security and compliance with identity standards.
The roots of Vouchsafe trace back to CivTech Challenge 9.7, which asks: “How can technology help increase access to public services by making use of the trusted relationships people already have?”
We developed Vouchsafe not just as a technical solution, but as a policy and cultural shift, collaborating closely with the Scottish Government to ensure that dignity, human rights, and community ties remain at the core.
Vouchsafe is now transitioning from an early-stage concept into a fully operational service. Our platform is in alpha, our team is growing, and we’re expanding partnerships with public-sector organisations and charities to refine and deploy vouching at scale.
If your organisation is interested in working with us to make services more accessible, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can break down barriers and build a more inclusive future.
For inquiries, reach out at hello@vouchsafe.id.
