Digital Identity Systems Policy Hackathon - Policy solutions
- spriteplus
- 6d
- 5 min read
About the Hackathon
Digital identities are online or electronic representations of individuals or organisations, composed of various credentials such as email addresses, biometrics (e.g. fingerprints or facial recognition) and other uniquely identifying personal data. They are increasingly important for access to online services, financial transactions and government benefits. Effective digital identity systems can offer enhanced convenience, security and inclusivity. However, the management and ownership of digital identities raise significant challenges related to privacy, security and trust, necessitating careful consideration of who controls and safeguards this sensitive information.
Chatham House’s Common Futures Conversations (CFC) teamed up with the SPRITE+ NetworkPlus to deliver the virtual Digital Identity Systems Policy Hackathon between 9-18 September 2025 to encourage new and innovative thinking about this timely topic. Participants were drawn from both CFC and SPRITE+ networks and divided into groups to ensure a diverse range of experience and expertise. Groups were then asked to use a socio-technical lens to analyse, deliberate and ideate to address the following prompt:
'Develop a technically grounded policy framework for the management and ownership of digital identities, considering the role of governments, individuals and legal institutions.'
During the first block, participants heard opening remarks from Mark Elliott, Director of SPRITE+, and Yiannis Theodorou, Senior Advisor & Global Lead on Digital ID at the Tony Blair Institute. The rest of Block 1 and the whole of Block 2 were dedicated to group work. Groups were also permitted to work as much as they wanted to on their own time between the first and the final sessions. During the final session, each group presented their policy solution and fielded questions from a panel of three judges, including Julie Dawson, Chief Policy & Regulatory Officer at Yoti, Dr Karen Mc Cullagh, Associate Professor at the University of East Anglia and Rowan Wilkinson, Research Associate at Chatham House’s Digital Society Programme.
The UK’s recent announcement of the Digital ID scheme highlights how timely these discussions are. Read on for summaries of each group’s policy solution in their own words and to watch the video of Group 3’s winning presentation on developing a digital identity system for asylum seekers in the UK.
"As the UK embarks on its own Digital ID journey, this hackathon served as an important reminder of the varying scales and scopes that these technology solutions can take. What stood out most was how hackathon participants grappled with the real-world tensions inherent in digital identity systems: balancing innovation, privacy, acccessibility, security, centralisation and user control. These aren't just technical challenges but fundamental questions about trust and governance in the digital age." Rowan Wilkinson Hackathon Judge and Research Associate, Digital Society Programme, Chatham House.
Group 1: Zac Cash, Anas Dayeh, Wessam Farid and Kim Snooks
Our solution, Building Trust by Design, proposes a citizen-centric digital identity framework for the UK that tackles the legacy of mistrust surrounding previous schemes. Rather than focusing solely on technology, it addresses public concerns about exclusion, surveillance, and loss of control.
The framework rests on three core pillars: guaranteeing inclusive access by ensuring physical and assisted options alongside digital channels; building radical transparency with user-controlled data logs and revocation tools; and embedding proactive co-design with communities and public institutions from the outset. Underpinned by guiding principles of always being inclusive, private, and human-centric, the proposal shows how a digital ID can win confidence by aligning trust, accessibility, and accountability.
Read Group 1’s full policy solution:
Group 2: Gregor Haywood, Jenny Krasic, Maria-Diana Musat and Ishimwe Mugabo Rodrigue
Our policy proposal prioritises security and inclusivity in the implementation of a trusted digital identity system through combining multimodal authentication and a federated single-sign on architecture. It highlights the limitations of traditional physical IDs and current fragmented government digital ID's, proposing instead a system that authenticates identity through multiple trusted methods (such as photo ID, bank credentials, SMS and multi-factor authentication).
Notably, the system would also scale security based on service sensitivity which empowers users to control their data privacy and entrenches trust in digital identity systems. Additionally, the federated SSO will enable seamless access to government and private services with independent governance, transparency and compliance with data protection principles to prevent misuse and surveillance. The initial roll out will focus on low-stake public services, such as transport, to demonstrate tangible benefits, increase user trust and reduce costs ultimately creating an inclusive and resilient digital governance framework that balances technical feasibility and political pragmatism.
Read Group 2’s full policy solution:
Group 3: Ilkana Davudzade, Sufyan H, Jerahmeel Madu and Isabella Mullings Wong
Our proposal introduces a government-issued, user-controlled digital identity credential for asylum seekers and refugees in the UK that complements existing Home Office systems, but increases access to critical services.
Leveraging open standards such as W3C Verifiable Credentials and Decentralized Identifiers, the credential could be saved in a secure digital wallet or accessed using a tamper-protected NFC smart card for those who do not have smartphones. It would enable people to demonstrate important characteristics, namely an active asylum claim, the right to work, or age, through user-controlled disclosure that can minimize errors, administrative bottlenecks, and exclusion.
Anchored by the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework, this solution navigates through the triangle of security, privacy, and usability to give refugees a way to exercise their rights with dignity and control while also improving efficiency for employers, landlords and service providers.
Read Group 3’s full policy solution here:
Group 4: Mercy Chebet Busienei, Fatima Jammeh, Christian Kone, Joel Jefferson Musiime and Alexandra Perez
The United Kingdom should adopt a self-sovereign digital identity (SSI) system built on a secure, permissioned blockchain, providing every resident with a single digital credential that they fully control.
Today, citizens must repeatedly prove their identity to multiple agencies while government departments maintain costly, fragmented databases that are vulnerable to fraud. Under the proposed SSI model, individuals would use a digital wallet on their phone to store cryptographically verifiable credentials, such as proof of residence, tax status, or health records, issued by accredited public and private institutions that are compliant with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The rollout would begin with HM Revenue & Customs, simplifying tax filing and reducing billions of pounds in fraud. It would then extend to the NHS, where patient-controlled records would improve data accuracy, streamline care and help prevent more than £1 billion in annual healthcare fraud. Funded through existing government digital-transformation budgets and delivered through a public–private partnership, this programme would lower administrative costs, strengthen privacy protections, build public trust and create a future-proof national identity system that empowers citizens and safeguards the UK’s digital sovereignty.
Read Group 4’s full policy solution here:
Group 5: Allan Carmen, Cecile Carrel, Freddie Johnson, Kelsey McKue and Olalekan Ojumu
Digital ID systems promise more efficient public services and financial inclusion, but their success depends on public trust, often undermined by privacy, security, and exclusion risks; a hybrid model that combines government reliability with user control and transparency offers the most viable path forward while also ensuring the UK keeps pace with the EU and other countries setting cross-border standards.
Read Group 5’s full policy solution here:
Watch the winning group policy presentation:
Questions about the hackathon, or interested in supporting the next generation of innovative thinkers? Reach out to Whitney Westbrook at wwestbrook@chathamhouse.org or SPRITE+ at spriteplus@manchester.ac.uk.
