Government Gateway – 11 million users and growing

Last week, Microsoft and the Cabinet Office held a conference to update local authorities and central government agencies on progress to-date with the Government Gateway - the website UK citizens use to register for online government services. It is an important part of the government's strategy of delivering 'joined up' government, enabling people to communicate and make transactions with government from a single point of entry.

Since its inception as a project in 2001, Government Gateway has come a long way. In fact, you are probably a Government Gateway user (whether you realise it or not!). If you do your tax return online, have ever asked for a pension forecast, registered to be a blood donor, applied for a provisional driving licence or booked a ticket for the Portaferry to Strangford ferry in Northern Ireland online then you are a Government Gateway user.

The Government Gateway is the centralised registration service that enables millions of users to sign up for secure Government services online. In round numbers, Government Gateway currently has 11 million users and handles 20 million transactions for 125 secure online government services spanning 12 central Government departments, 14 Government agencies and 35 local authorities.

Yes, Microsoft software is at the core of Government Gateway but that is not the reason for this blog entry. It is simply to remind you that if you have not checked recently the range of services you can transact online via the gateway then visit: https://www.gateway.gov.uk/

Posted by Ian