Post Office launches new app for ID-verification

Post Office has announced the launch of a new app for easier ID-verification when collecting parcels and letters.

The new Post Office EasyID app will complement existing face-to-face verification using documents such as a passport or driving license. providing a convenient alternative for those who choose it.

Created by digital company Yoti, the app will also make life easier for customers who buy items online from retailers and get them delivered to their local Post Office for collection. It is also handy for those who miss a home mail delivery and choose to get it delivered to a local Post Office instead.

The free to download Post Office EasyID app can already be used for completing online transactions that require proof of identity and can be used across the UK at:

• 10,500 Post Offices for mail collection.
• 5,000 Post Offices that offer National Lottery ticket purchases or for claiming prizes under £500.
• 13,000 Payzone outlets within convenience stores as a proof of identity or a proof of age for example when buying a national lottery ticket or age-restricted items such as cigarettes.
• 12,000 retailers across the UK that already accept ID provided by Yoti, the digital identity company the Post Office has partnered with.

After downloading the app from Android Play or the Apple App Store, customers need to verify their identity using documents such as a passport, driving licence or national ID card, and facial recognition software. This creates a secure digital ID on their mobile device, including their photo and date of birth, which is protected by their biometrics and a PIN, and can be presented in Post Offices and shops.

“The app allows customers to build their own secure digital identity on their smartphone, enabling them to easily control and prove who they are to whichever business they want to interact with. We see this as an exciting opportunity for customers and postmasters alike and expect the app to become a standard way of verifying ID for many businesses nationwide,” Nick Read, chief executive at the Post Office, said.

“For postmasters, the app brings a range of particular advantages. As well as making the collection process faster, it will encourage people to choose delivery to Post Offices and help drive footfall. In addition, the app can be used for proof of age in Post Offices and shops, to buy age-restricted items including lottery tickets and medicines.”