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'Confusing' government websites face revamp in bid to save £1.8bn | 'Confusing' government websites face revamp in bid to save £1.8bn |
(about 17 hours later) | |
By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News | By Dave Lee Technology reporter, BBC News |
Plans to reduce the need for face-to-face government services by improving "confusing" online offerings in the UK have been announced. | |
The href="http://publications.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/digital/" >Government Digital Strategy report acknowledges that most people "rarely" use online government services. | |
Services which handle more than 100,000 "transactions" per year are to be completely overhauled. | Services which handle more than 100,000 "transactions" per year are to be completely overhauled. |
The government expects the changes to save up to £1.8bn a year by 2015. | The government expects the changes to save up to £1.8bn a year by 2015. |
However, the costs of implementing the changes have not yet been outlined. | However, the costs of implementing the changes have not yet been outlined. |
"A business case will be made for each of these services," a Cabinet Office spokesman said. | "A business case will be made for each of these services," a Cabinet Office spokesman said. |
"So we won't be in a position to know costs until those cases have been assessed. The services will be identified and published in the departmental digital strategies alongside detailed delivery plans in December." | "So we won't be in a position to know costs until those cases have been assessed. The services will be identified and published in the departmental digital strategies alongside detailed delivery plans in December." |
The report said that the average cost of an hour of government interaction "costs the average citizen £14.70". | The report said that the average cost of an hour of government interaction "costs the average citizen £14.70". |
"If just half an hour were saved by digitising every transaction currently completed offline," the document stated, "the total savings to the economy could therefore be around £1.8bn." | "If just half an hour were saved by digitising every transaction currently completed offline," the document stated, "the total savings to the economy could therefore be around £1.8bn." |
Redesigns of the busiest services - including HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions - will begin in April 2013, the document said, with completion predicted for March 2015. | Redesigns of the busiest services - including HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions - will begin in April 2013, the document said, with completion predicted for March 2015. |
New or redesigned sites launching after April 2014 will be subject to set standards for consistent design and usability. | New or redesigned sites launching after April 2014 will be subject to set standards for consistent design and usability. |
All must offer application programming interfaces (APIs) - which will allow third-parties to create useful tools and services, a similar approach to that of Facebook and Twitter. | All must offer application programming interfaces (APIs) - which will allow third-parties to create useful tools and services, a similar approach to that of Facebook and Twitter. |
'Costly for government' | 'Costly for government' |
The government classes "transactions" as anything involving "sharing information, requesting services, buying goods, asking for permission, or paying money". | The government classes "transactions" as anything involving "sharing information, requesting services, buying goods, asking for permission, or paying money". |
It is estimated that more than 1.5 billion transactions of this type are made every year - with the majority being done either face-to-face or over the telephone. | It is estimated that more than 1.5 billion transactions of this type are made every year - with the majority being done either face-to-face or over the telephone. |
In 2011, more than 150 million calls in 2011 were classed as "avoidable" and "costly for government". | In 2011, more than 150 million calls in 2011 were classed as "avoidable" and "costly for government". |
A study of local councils put the cost of face-to-face transactions at £8.62, transactions via telephone at £2.83 - but only 15p for transactions via a website. | A study of local councils put the cost of face-to-face transactions at £8.62, transactions via telephone at £2.83 - but only 15p for transactions via a website. |
While millions in the UK have taken to carrying out key tasks online - such as shopping and banking - relatively few have used the web for needs involving government. | While millions in the UK have taken to carrying out key tasks online - such as shopping and banking - relatively few have used the web for needs involving government. |
"Until now government services have stood out by their failure to keep up with the digital age," wrote Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, in a foreword to the strategy. | |
"While many sectors now deliver their services online as a matter of course, our use of digital public services lags far behind that of the private sector. For example while 74% of people use the internet for car insurance, only 51% renew car tax online." | |
The document blames a culture of creating "digitised versions of pre-digital business processes", as well as outdated methods of data gathering and sharing. | |
Driving tests, for example, still require examiners to fill in and file paper forms, "adding cost and delay for users that a truly end-to-end digital service could remove". | Driving tests, for example, still require examiners to fill in and file paper forms, "adding cost and delay for users that a truly end-to-end digital service could remove". |
The Driving Standards Agency is to begin a trial using mobile devices for examiners in order to eliminate paper forms. | The Driving Standards Agency is to begin a trial using mobile devices for examiners in order to eliminate paper forms. |