ScotAccount: Scotland’s Digital Identity Service Transforming Access to Public Services

ScotAccount is the Scottish Government’s secure digital identity service, designed to provide a single, reusable account for accessing a growing range of online public services.

Launched as a private beta in February 2023 in partnership with Disclosure Scotland, it has since expanded into public beta and is positioned as a key component in modernizing and streamlining government interactions for residents.

What is ScotAccount?

ScotAccount allows users to sign in once and access multiple services, while also enabling identity verification where required. This eliminates the need for repeated registrations or verifications across different platforms. It is run by the Scottish Government and is distinct from local government services like myaccount.

Key features include:

• Secure sign-in with two-factor authentication (2FA), including options like one-time passcodes via mobile or landline.
• Identity verification to prove who you are and confirm eligibility for services or benefits.
• Reusable digital identity, where verified information can be stored and shared (with consent) across participating services, reducing redundancy.

The service emphasizes user control: users can sign in to manage or delete personal details and even delete their entire ScotAccount if desired.

How It Works

To get started, users typically create an account with an email address, password, and 2FA setup when accessing a participating service. Identity verification is often prompted if needed by the service.

Verification options (for UK residents):

• Photo ID route (easiest for most): Use a compatible document such as a passport (any country), UK photocard driving licence, European driving licence, European national identity card, or Young Scot National Entitlement Card. Users take live photos of the ID and their face via camera on a phone, tablet, or computer. The process typically takes around 10 minutes.
• Non-photo ID route: Answer knowledge-based security questions about personal details, bank accounts, or credit history for those without suitable photo ID or camera access.
• Limitations: Online verification requires living in the UK. Users outside the UK can create an account for some services (e.g., Disclosure Scotland) but must verify identity through alternative means.

The system partners with companies like Experian for identity checks (without affecting credit ratings) and Cifas for fraud prevention.

Services Currently Using ScotAccount

As of late 2025, ScotAccount supports:

• Disclosure Scotland services, including Level 1 disclosures and Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme applications and results.
• Witness Gateway (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service).
• MyCare.scot.
• Scotland’s Redress Scheme identity confirmation.
• Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS).
• Registers of Scotland’s Moveable Transactions registers.
• Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Retailers registration.
• Funeral Sector registration.
• Legal Aid Online (for legal professionals).

More services are being integrated, including support for health and social care initiatives. Public sector organizations are encouraged to adopt it as a common component to reduce development costs and improve user experience.

Background and Development

ScotAccount emerged from Scotland’s Digital Strategy goals to deliver modern, accessible, and privacy-focused public services. It followed agile, user-centered phases (discovery, alpha, beta), incorporating extensive user research—over 1,000 participants—to refine usability and inclusivity.

Early pilots focused on Disclosure Scotland, enabling fully digital disclosure journeys and reducing paperwork. Development has shifted toward greater in-house management by the Scottish Government team. Features like alternative verification methods (e.g., security questions and explorations of vouching) aim to improve accessibility for diverse users.

By mid-2025–2026, the service was seeing significant uptake, with reports of thousands of new identities created weekly and ambitions toward hundreds of thousands of users.

Benefits and Impact

For citizens: One login simplifies access, speeds up processes (e.g., faster PVG results for employment), and reduces the burden of repeating information.

For public services: Reusable components lower costs for sign-in and verification systems, cut manual processing, and enhance fraud protection. It supports broader digital transformation efforts, such as the health and social care “Digital Front Door.”

Security and privacy are central: Data is handled securely, with user consent required for sharing, and clear privacy notices provided.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Like any new digital service, ScotAccount has faced teething issues reported by some early users (e.g., technical glitches or verification hurdles), which the team has actively addressed through feedback channels. Efforts continue to expand non-biometric options and inclusivity.

Looking ahead, ScotAccount is expected to integrate with more services and potentially explore alignments like UK One Login, while maintaining its focus on Scottish public sector needs. It represents a significant step toward a more connected, efficient, and user-friendly digital government ecosystem in Scotland.

For more information or to sign in/create an account, visit the official page at mygov.scot/scotaccount. Public sector organizations can explore integration via dedicated campaign resources.