A method for a user of a user device to access, via an application executed by the user device, an account for one or more services provided by a service provider, wherein said access is controlled based on biometric verification of the user performed, at least in part, at the user device, wherein the method comprises: providing an identifier associated with the user to an access system used by the service provider; receiving, from the access system, reference data associated at the access system with the identifier; obtaining, from a storage device, first biometric data stored on the storage device, the first biometric data suitable for use in the biometric verification, wherein the storage device is an apparatus comprising a secured module arranged to communicate with the user device via near field communication; and providing to the access system an indication of whether the first biometric data matches second biometric data, the second biometric data being biometric data obtained by the user device from the user, so that the access system can use the indication to determine whether to permit the user to access the account via the application; wherein one or both of the following apply: (a) said obtaining uses at least part of the reference data to locate the first biometric data; and/or (b) the method comprises using at least part of the reference data to authenticate the first biometric data, wherein said providing to the access system an indication of whether the first biometric data matches second biometric data is performed in response to successful authentication of the first biometric data. providing an identifier associated with the user to an access system used by the service provider; receiving, from the access system, reference data associated at the access system with the identifier; obtaining, from a storage device, first biometric data stored on the storage device, the first biometric data suitable for use in the biometric verification, wherein the storage device is an apparatus comprising a secured module arranged to communicate with the user device via near field communication; and providing to the access system an indication of whether the first biometric data matches second biometric data, the second biometric data being biometric data obtained by the user device from the user, so that the access system can use the indication to determine whether to permit the user to access the account via the application; wherein one or both of the following apply: (a) said obtaining uses at least part of the reference data to locate the first biometric data; and/or (b) the method comprises using at least part of the reference data to authenticate the first biometric data, wherein said providing to the access system an indication of whether the first biometric data matches second biometric data is performed in response to successful authentication of the first biometric data. (a) said obtaining uses at least part of the reference data to locate the first biometric data; and/or (b) the method comprises using at least part of the reference data to authenticate the first biometric data, wherein said providing to the access system an indication of whether the first biometric data matches second biometric data is performed in response to successful authentication of the first biometric data.