More than 23,000 digital Veteran Cards have been downloaded since the service launched in October 2025, the government said ahead of Remembrance Sunday. The card is accessed through the GOV.UK One Login app, the same digital identity system the government is rolling out across public services.
How it works
Veterans cannot apply for the digital card directly. They must first apply for a physical Veteran Card, and only once that application has been fully processed and the physical card dispatched can they apply for and download the digital version through GOV.UK One Login. The digital card is optional: those who prefer can continue to use the physical card instead.
The digital version is intended to let veterans carry proof of service on their phone rather than a physical card. The government says it can be used to access discounts at participating shops, restaurants and attractions, and to help demonstrate veteran status when registering with a GP or accessing other health support. Acceptance of discounts varies by organisation, so the government advises veterans to check before visiting.
Ministers’ comments
Stephanie Peacock, Minister for Digital Government, said the card was “a practical way” to recognise veterans “not just on Remembrance Sunday, but throughout the year,” and said she wanted more veterans to know about the benefits on offer. Veterans Minister Calvin Bailey MP, a former RAF serviceman who holds a digital card himself, said the aim was to make it easier for veterans “to access the support and entitlements they deserve,” and encouraged veterans to sign up for either the physical or digital card this Remembrance period.
Julie Kotecha, a British Army veteran quoted in the announcement, said she found the physical card useful when asking about discounts while shopping, and was looking forward to using the digital version because it would be easier to carry on her phone than additional cards.
What it means
For the roughly 23,000 veterans who have already downloaded the card, and others considering doing so, the practical takeaway is the sequencing: a digital card cannot be obtained in isolation, it depends on first securing and receiving a physical Veteran Card through Veterans UK, then logging into the GOV.UK One Login app to add the digital version. There is no stated deadline to apply, and the scheme is presented as ongoing rather than time-limited.
The announcement does not give a total number of physical Veteran Cards issued, so it is not possible to say what proportion of eligible veterans the 23,000 digital downloads represents. It also does not specify which retailers or health services currently recognise the card, beyond stating that acceptance varies by organisation.
What to watch next
The government has not set a target for digital card uptake or announced further features for the GOV.UK One Login integration. Veterans and reporters tracking the scheme should watch for any future update on total physical card numbers, additional organisations recognising the discount, or wider use of GOV.UK One Login for other veteran-facing services.