Covid passports will be rolled out on a new NHS app after July 19 in a bid to control infections, the Health Secretary has announced.
Sajid Javid told the House of Commons on Monday that people will need to prove one of three things to enter a venue.
Businesses will be "encouraged" to use the system - despite the Government insisting last week there would be no legal requirement.
It is understood talks with key figures from the hospitality sector will take place in the coming days and weeks.
This is with the aim of using the app throughout the summer's third wave - despite step four beginning in just seven days.
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The three criteria - of which people will need to prove one - are:
- Double-jabbed at least two weeks ago
- Evidence of a negative lateral flow test in the last 48 hours
- Evidence they have antibodies because they tested positive for Covid by PCR less than six months ago
The relaxation of rules on July 19 means tightly-packed venues, like nightclubs, will finally be able to open after 16 long months.
Businesses and large events deemed “high-risk” - which especially includes enclosed and/or crowded places - will be encouraged to use certification but there will be no legal force behind this.
And it is understood authorities will have no power to stop a nightclub packing out to capacity without asking punters to produce Covid passports on the way in.
The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "Businesses and large events will be supported and encouraged to use certification in high risk settings to help limit the spread of infections in their venues."
There is no single list of high-risk venues or venue types.
But it is understood they could even be interpreted as including busy city centre pubs, where capacity is similar to a nightclub.
That raises the prospect that pub punters could be asked for a Covid passport.
Officially high risk venues will include large events where significant numbers of people who don’t normally mix gather together, without social distancing - particularly indoors, and particularly if less ventilated.
The NHS app will be different to the current Covid-19 application being used widely.
Announcing on Monday that lockdown can effectively be lifted on July 19, Mr Javid said it was the "right time to get our nation closer to normal life".
"To those who say 'why take this step now' I say 'if not now, when?'," he said.
"There will never be a perfect time to take this step because we simply cannot eradicate this virus."
Mr Javid said the Government's approach was "about balancing the harms that are caused by Covid with the undeniable harms that restrictions bring".
