Government's digital strategy to yield a significant savings of £1.8 billion annually - contingent upon it being offered without charge
UK Government Unveils Digital Strategy to Boost Online Public Services
The UK government has announced a new digital strategy aimed at improving and standardising online public services, as well as addressing the issue of government services relying on outdated IT systems. The strategy, led by the Cabinet Office, is expected to save £1.8 billion a year by delivering more public services over the Internet.
Under the strategy, the government plans to train 'service managers' to look after particular online services. These service managers will be responsible for redesigning, operating, and improving services that handle over 100,000 transactions. The Cabinet Office will create a 'digital by default' standard for new or redesigned services, ensuring that no service will go live unless it meets this standard.
The strategy also focuses on boosting the 'digital' skill set of the public sector. The Cabinet Office will lead in the definition and delivery of common cross-government technology platforms, which departments are expected to use for their online services. These technology platforms will be used for new and redesigned services, unless a specific case for exemption is agreed.
Many government services currently rely on digitised versions of pre-digital business processes, layered on top of legacy IT systems, some of which are over 30 years old. To ensure these platforms meet business needs, the Cabinet Office will consult with departments throughout the process.
However, it's important to note that the estimated savings do not include the potential costs of a transition to digital. Additionally, the strategy does not include the additional savings that could be gained from fundamental service redesign or back-end technology changes.
Online services are substantially cheaper per transaction than face-to-face or phone interaction, making the shift to digital a cost-effective move for the government. The strategy is also expected to improve the efficiency and accessibility of public services, offering more convenience to citizens.
The UK government's digital strategy is part of a broader mandate for open standards in central government departments, which was introduced last week with the aim of developing shared technology platforms. The strategy is a significant step towards modernising government services and improving the digital capabilities of the public sector.
