▁identity ▁to ▁a ▁standard ▁level ▁of ▁ass urance ▁before ▁accessing ▁ 2 2 ▁central ▁government ▁online ▁services . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Cab inet ▁Office ▁started ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁system ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Identity ▁Ass urance ▁Program me ▁( ID AP ). ▁A ▁private ▁beta ▁phase ▁began ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁moving ▁into ▁public ▁beta ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁The ▁system ▁was ▁declared ▁live ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁digital ▁ID ▁policy ▁had ▁moved ▁from ▁G DS ▁to ▁the ▁Department ▁for ▁Digital , ▁Culture , ▁Media ▁and ▁Sport . ▁Res p ons ibility ▁for ▁development ▁and ▁roll out ▁of ▁GO V . UK ▁Ver ify ▁remains ▁with ▁G DS . ▁ ▁Cert ified ▁companies ▁ ▁Third - party ▁companies ▁are ▁responsible ▁for ▁carrying ▁out ▁identity ▁ver ification ▁within ▁the ▁scheme . ▁The ▁first ▁five ▁companies ▁– ▁known ▁as ▁identity ▁prov iders ▁( Id P s ) ▁– ▁that ▁signed ▁up ▁to ▁provide ▁the ▁service ▁through ▁a ▁tender ▁issued ▁by ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Work ▁and ▁P ensions ▁were ▁The ▁Post ▁Office , ▁Ver izon , ▁Exper ian , ▁Dig identity ▁and ▁My dex ▁C IC . ▁After ▁a ▁further ▁tender ▁issued ▁by ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁Office ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Bar cl ays , ▁GB ▁Group , ▁Mor