Verifiable Credential

A cryptographically signed statement about a person, organisation, or object that a relying party can verify without contacting the issuer, following the W3C Verifiable Credentials Data Model. Verifiable credentials are the underlying data format used by identity wallets, and support selective disclosure — the holder can prove they are over 18, or that they hold a particular qualification, without revealing other attributes. In accessibility contexts, verifiable credentials are relevant to digital disability-benefit eligibility proofs, accessible parking permits, caregiver-authorisation tokens, and e-voting, because they reduce the need to hand over unnecessary personal information and enable streamlined authentication flows that may be easier for users with cognitive or motor disabilities than legacy ID-verification processes.