Experian has launched Identity Connect, a new solution designed to help organisations verify customers in line with emerging UK digital identity standards while reducing friction in the process.
The tool merges biometric verification, document checks and fraud intelligence into a single offering, positioning it as the first solution to combine both digital and traditional identification methods with Experian’s fraud prevention capabilities and bureau data, all accessible through one API.
The launch responds to a shift in consumer behaviour, as more people opt to verify their identity online in pursuit of quicker, more convenient access to services. Research cited by Experian shows that 44% of people in the UK have already verified their identity digitally, with three quarters citing speed and simplicity as the main draw.
Organisations attempting to keep pace with this shift face mounting pressure, from satisfying regulatory demands to integrating a growing array of verification tools without disrupting the customer experience. Identity Connect is intended to ease that load, helping firms align with UK regulatory frameworks that set out best practice for verification providers, including the Good Practice Guide 45 (GPG45) and certification under the Digital Verification Services (DVS) Trust Framework.
Experian said it is currently the only Credit Reference Agency to hold this certification, a status that allows it to support mandated checks such as Right to Work, Right to Rent and Disclosure and Barring Service screening. The Home Office departments HM Treasury and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology have also recommended that organisations conducting Anti-Money Laundering checks consider working with certified DVS providers.
To strengthen decision-making further, Identity Connect draws on Experian’s bureau data to fill gaps where a single verification method falls short, giving organisations a more complete and reliable basis for their decisions in one place.
The platform’s additional capabilities include document capture and validation, selfie and liveness checks, Experian bureau activity assessment, screening against Politically Exposed Persons and mortality records, and checks against the National Hunter fraud database.
Looking ahead, Experian plans to broaden the range of verification options available through the platform, including the addition of Open Banking data. The company said this would give organisations the ability to offer customers a choice of verification routes, working towards a fully digital experience that eventually removes the need for physical documents altogether.
Experian UK&I chief product officer, Identity and Fraud, Paul Weathersby said, “Identity verification is the front door to almost every digital interaction, and getting it right has never mattered more.”
Weathersby added, “Experian Identity Connect brings together certified verification, Experian’s trusted data and built-in fraud protection in one platform, so organisations can verify customers with confidence and meet their regulatory obligations — without making genuine customers work harder to prove who they are.
“This is just the start. As we add consumer-led digital identity and Open Banking, organisations will be able to offer real choice at the point of verification, all through a single, simple integration.”
For those tracking where identity, fraud and compliance technology is heading next, staying close to this space is no longer optional, it is a strategic necessity for anyone shaping the future of digital trust.
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