The UK Government has unveiled a list public services it intends to make online by 2015, as part of a cost cutting drive.
The government announced its intention to save more money through online services last month.
The Cabinet Office said this week the move would save taxpayers up to £1.2 billion by 2015 and around £1.7 billion a year thereafter.
It said digital services can be 20 times cheaper than doing the same thing by phone, 30 times cheaper compared to post, and 50 times versus a face-to-face transaction.
The first wave of services to go entirely online includes tax assessments, applications for visas, apprenticeships and pensions, redundancy payments, DVLA car transactions, carers’ allowances, and prison visits.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said, “Today we’ve set out exactly how we will make it easier for people to do things like apply for pensions and car tax online. As a result we will save people time, money and stress.”
As a result of the move, with the National Apprenticeship Service candidates will be able to search for vacancies and apply online, while employers will be able to advertise vacancies and identify suitable candidates.
And in intellectual property entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes will be able to register, track and manage patents and trade-marks “more swiftly and straightforwardly online with the Intellectual Property Office”, said the government.
For volunteer Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks there are plans for a “more straightforward online applications process” to make it easier for people to volunteer for good causes.
To deliver the online services the government said civil servants are now “working side-by-side with software developers, content editors and designers using open source digital version control systems”.