- 50 of the most used digital government services will be upgraded by 2025
- More than 6,500 senior public servants will be upskilled through digital bootcamps, ensuring they have the skills to focus on public priorities
- Over £1 billion will be saved by updating old technology and streamlining processes
Major online government services will become easier than ever to use thanks to upgrades and investments in the public service workforce over the next three years.
The plans, launched today by Cabinet Minister Heather Wheeler, are part of the government‘s new digital and data strategy. Over £1 billion in savings will be generated by 2025, by eliminating unnecessary costs of paper-based services.
As part of this, around £101m will be saved each year through better procurement, reduced attrition rates of talented staff and less reliance on expensive consultants.
The new strategy will bring significant improvements to digital systems, with the aim of making public services as easy to access as holiday booking and online shopping.
By 2025, at least 50 of the most frequently used government services will be significantly improved, including making services easily accessible on mobile devices, single sign-on available across government services, and implementing smart data sharing making it easier and faster to register to vote and apply for legal aid.
The strategy also sets out development plans for civil servants through specialized training workshops, including assessed courses on finding good quality data and understanding the technologies that underpin digital services, with the aim of equip more than 6,500 senior public servants with essential digital skills by 2025. Digital standards will be integrated into performance reviews to ensure that how users interact with government services is at the forefront of decision-making.
Minister Heather Wheeler, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Cabinet Office, said:
When people order groceries, book vacations, or check their bank accounts, they expect a smooth and simple experience. The same should be true for government services.
This new strategy will put us in step with the private sector, transforming the delivery of key services people rely on so they are simpler and faster to use while reducing costs.”
Savings of over £1 billion will also come from better service delivery and the replacement of outdated IT systems, with the adoption of a ‘build once, use many times’ policy helping to reduce duplication. spending in government. The Central Digital and Data Office will work across government to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent effectively, exercising the collective buying power of departments.
Cyber defenses will also be strengthened across government through cyber training and annual testing, in line with the government’s cybersecurity strategy to protect vital public services and sensitive data from malicious attacks.
To track progress, specific department-level digital and data goals will be defined and driven by a forum of permanent secretaries.
Paul Willmott, Chairman of the Cabinet Office’s Central Digital and Data Office, said:
This strategy represents a new era of intergovernmental collaboration on digital transformation and puts the audience experience at the heart of online services.
Investing in the civil service workforce through high-quality training will enable government to improve its decision-making, while strengthening digital standards and their adoption at all levels.
Notes to Editors
- You can read the strategy here.
- The strategy sets out a clear roadmap for delivering the government’s digital and data plans over the next three years
- The strategy focuses on six key missions, which are priority areas for digital transformation. They are:
- Transformed public services that achieve the right results
- A connection for the government
- Better data to support decision-making
- Efficient, secure and sustainable technology
- Large-scale digital skills
- A system that unlocks digital transformation
