Daon’s Identity Verification and Assurance Technology Selected by British Council to Combat Fraud Across Its Digital Services
Deployment of TrustX will enable multi-step identity verification across the entire user journey, from registration through to in-test re-verification, reducing fraud where outcomes can influence immigration, education, and employment decisions.
Dublin, IRL – July 14, 2026 – Daon®, The Digital Identity Trust Company, has been selected by the British Council to provide identity verification services across its global testing and digital education portfolio. The engagement spans one of the world’s most widely administered testing programs, accepted by governments in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and recognized by more than 12,500 organizations worldwide, including major immigration authorities, employers, and higher education institutions. The deployment will see Daon’s TrustX platform used to verify the identities of test takers at multiple points throughout the testing journey, supporting a more secure and consistent approach to identity assurance.
The British Council, a UK public body founded in 1934 and governed by Royal Charter, works with individuals in over 200 countries and territories and maintains a presence in more than 100 countries. In 2024-25 alone, it reached 599 million people through its cultural relations and educational programs. As demand for secure, remote, and high-integrity testing grows, the organization sought a partner capable of delivering identity verification that extends beyond initial enrolment to cover the full lifecycle of the user journey. The ability to confidently verify identity is critical to maintaining trust in results that are used to make life-changing decisions across borders.
“Identity is the cornerstone for high-stakes exams, and in Daon we’ve found a partner that helps us embed trust throughout the entire testing journey,” said Anthony Nicols, Director of Product at the British Council. “This strengthens the integrity of our results while delivering a more secure and consistent experience for test takers globally.”
Under the agreement, Daon will deploy its xProof identity verification capabilities on the TrustX platform to support identity verification during registration, at test centres, and at key moments throughout the testing process, including face-match re-verification following breaks and during re-tests. The solution combines document verification, facial comparison, liveness detection, and chip reading, supported by global 24/7 services, fraud detection, and manual review fallback where required.
“Organizations like the British Council operate at a scale where identity is more than just a security function,” said Tom Grissen, CEO of Daon. “It’s what underlines trust in the institution and the services it provides. This deployment reflects something we’re seeing across multiple sectors, where identity verification is becoming an ongoing, integrated part of the user journey rather than a single, static checkpoint. Platforms like TrustX are designed to enable organizations to orchestrate identity across channels, use cases, and geographies without adding friction for users.”
The British Council conducted a rigorous multi-phase procurement process, requiring vendors to meet strict standards for identity verification technology and services, including certification under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF). The tender process evaluated providers on their ability to deliver not only core capabilities such as biometric authentication and document validation, but also global support, consultancy, and operational best practices.
The initial rollout will support millions of identity verification and facial authentication transactions over a multi-year term, with plans to extend the platform to additional British Council services, including English Online.
The deployment also highlights the growing importance of standards-based, globally interoperable identity solutions in public sector and education environments. By combining biometric verification with flexible workflow orchestration and high-assurance controls, Daon is enabling the British Council to deliver secure, scalable identity experiences whilst reducing current high levels of fraud, that can adapt to evolving threats and user expectations.
About Daon
Daon, The Digital Identity Trust Company, delivers fraud-resistant, low-friction digital identity solutions that support onboarding and authentication at every trust point across the customer lifecycle. With industry-leading, cross-channel, biometric identity verification and multi-factor authentication, Daon enables its clients to empower each customer with a single, secure digital identity that balances maximum fraud prevention with ease of use. Delivered on robust, AI-powered platforms designed to counter even the most sophisticated AI-driven fraud, Daon’s innovative, privacy-first solutions mitigate key threat vectors and help ensure regulatory compliance while allowing businesses to offer a seamless, accessible customer experience that increases satisfaction and lowers costs. That is why Daon is trusted by global leaders in financial services, telecommunications, travel & hospitality, the public sector, and more to process hundreds of millions of digital identity transactions each day.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024-25, we reached 600 million people.