GOV.UK Verify is a service run by the Government Digital Service (GDS). They rely on TSPs to provide a range of activities which seek to confirm the identity of an individual. This uses a set of rules specified by the Government, the issuance of a set of credentials to the individual, and a level of assurance token that enables Government Service Providers to match an individual to records they hold. TSPs who provide services to GDS are subject to approval under the ‘Verify Scheme’. This defines the range of activities they must carry out and criteria they must meet, and includes acquiring tScheme approval for delivering services against specific Profiles. These TSP’s are often referred to as Identity Providers.
For the Verify Scheme, tScheme used a combination of core profiles with specific extensions to underpin the independent assessments.
TSPs wishing to provide services to GOV.UK Verify must go through the tScheme approval assessment and approval process which results in notification to GDS, the Verify Scheme Authority.
The final approval decision lies with GDS who are the Verify Scheme Authority.