Connect Digitally is a partnership between central and local governments in the UK working to improve public service delivery through digital transformation. It aims to drive down costs, realize savings, improve service quality, and move services to "digital by default." The program identifies barriers to digital adoption and provides tools and expertise to help local authorities implement online services. Reported savings from digital projects include reduced staffing costs, printing and mailing expenses, and call volumes. Users have found digital applications easier to use than paper forms. As a result of these efforts, some local authorities now have over 80% of school admissions and 60% of free school meal applications completed online.

1. Connect Digitally
Improving Savings, Service and Satisfaction
Amanda Derrick, Programme Director
Digital by Default
A Revolution in Public Service Delivery
The Barbican Centre – 1 December 2011

2. Leading national channel shift
Connect Digitally, a central/local government
partnership, is leading 152 local authorities in:
• Driving down costs of service delivery
• Realising benefits and cashable savings
• Improving service quality for citizens
• Moving towards ‘digital by default’

3. The Connect Digitally approach

4. Identify barriers to delivery and
take-up

5. Knock down the barrier or …..

6. Show the way or …..

7. Support with expertise and
capability or …..

8. Debunk the ‘myths’

9. Transfer solutions
• Cost calculators
• Business Case template
• Steps to Success
• Minimum Features and Relationships tool endorsed
by 13 suppliers
• Legal compliance
• Benefits Realisation Pack

10. Cashable savings reported by
local authorities
• Improved audit process, saving £228,000
• Reduction in staff, saving £98,000
• Reduction in expenditure on leaflets, postage and manual
entry of paper applications, saving £63,000
• Reduction in booklet printing, saving £49,000
• 10,000 fewer citizen calls to Customer Service in the
renewals process, saving £20,000
• Improved audit process, saving £18,000
• Reduction in data input by temporary staff from 42 weeks to
5 weeks, saving £17,000
• One morning’s work, including savings for
citizens/schools/LAs/DWP, saving £11,000
• Fewer queries from schools, saving £5,000
• Reduction in office space, saving £6,000

11. Improving satisfaction
– “Very, very good, I’m not good at reading and writing and I
found it so easy – thank you”
– “I was very impressed that the application was
straightforward to complete. I know of people who have not
claimed for other benefits as they find it too difficult to
complete forms”
– “The system ensured my son had free school meals without
the worry …difficulty of paper application and posting issues
…a fantastic experience considering the normal stresses of
form filling, stamping, posting and checking. Ten out of ten.
Couldn’t have been easier.”

12. Moving towards ‘digital by
default’
• Online school admissions
– Tameside 100% online
– Hertfordshire 98% online
– In excess of 30 local authorities over 80% online
• Online free school meals
– Application process improved from up to 3 months to
real-time eligibility checking process in 3 minutes
– Up to 60% citizens using digital applications where
available

13. Connect Digitally delivers
channel shift
Connect Digitally
Improving savings, service and satisfaction
Join the Connect Digitally Community of Practice at:
www.communities.idea.gov.uk
Amanda Derrick amanda.derrick@hertscc.gov.uk