Public spending on identity management (IdM) is set to grow by around £5.2 billion over the next four years as government departments look to improve their data authentication systems, a recent report has revealed.
According to the Kable report, the National Identity Card Scheme, the National Police Database and the National Offenders Management Systems will be the biggest spenders over the coming years, with the sector likely to move away from beginning new projects and instead integrating the existing systems.
At a local level, the main developments in data authentication will come as authorities look to introduce smart cards to be used to access services and to pay for public transport.
“The huge potential for growth of identity management solutions will rely on the government’s ability to provide its citizens with a sense of empowerment and standardise the use of identity practices,” said Philippe Martin, a senior analyst at Kable.
“It will take many years to get there, as many large, complex legacy systems will have to change.”
The report also cited the potential public worries concerning security, highlighting the importance of data security and for companies and financial institutions to adopt authentication software to protect their clients.