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Intermediaries 'missing link' in transformational government

A helping hand is crucial if socially excluded people are going to make the most of e-government services, new research has found.

The research, from UK online centres, suggests the role of intermediaries has to date been the 'missing link' in government plans to shift more public services from face-to-face to online channels.

Yesterday's Varney Report - Service transformation - touches on the role of community and voluntary sector intermediaries, but the UK online centre research suggests the need to go further and faster in using them to get the hard-to-reach interacting with e-government.

Many people have little experience of using technology, and little motivation to contact government online. But the research, undertaken by Simpson Carpenter, found the right encouragement and support increased the likelihood of people from disadvantaged backgrounds using the internet and engaging with public services in the future.

Managing Director of UK online centres Helen Milner said: "The missing link in the transformational government strategy so far has been the need to show people the potential benefits of e-government, and facilitate and support its use. The focus has been more on the technology than the audience - as the Varney Report highlights. With so many different services and sites being set-up and operated in isolation, socially excluded people have been left stranded on the wrong side of the digital divide.

"If e-services are to come together under Directgov as Varney suggests, so too must the support vital to help vulnerable people use them. We're not talking about extending face-to-face services, but about enabling effective use of a variety of online services under one roof. We've found that by doing so, we can recruit and create the independent e-services customers the Government needs."

The new research analyses the results of a major pilot in the South West of England which supported people in the use of six central government and four local authority e-services. Over the course of the nine month pilot, around 16,000 customers were introduced to e-government services through 36 UK online centres. 97 per cent of people engaged through the pilot felt reassured just by having staff around to support their first digital transactions, and those most in need of individual help were often from socially disadvantaged groups.

Services covered by the pilot included Directgov and NHS Direct, pension forecasts and credit, housing benefit and council tax. Users were also encouraged and helped to make use of online job search and course search facilities, pay for vehicle licences or register for provisional licences. Researchers identified individuals who were digitally excluded and had a 'social need' to contact government - an estimated 6.6 million people nationwide.

Helen continued: "There is a clear link between digital exclusion and social exclusion, and the digital divide deepens for the very people standing in most need of public services. As more services go online, we need to ensure there is a co-ordinated approach in making them reach disadvantaged groups. I believe there is a role for UK online centres in addressing both digital and social divides by acting as a stepping-stone between citizen and state, personal and digital.

"UK online centres are already working with the communities and groups the government needs to reach, and the public investment in the development of the network totals almost £500 million. I'd like to see that investment put to good use in making a difference to the individuals who need to use e-services, and in taking forward Varney's vision for transformational government.

"I'm delighted to see the potential of UK online centres recognised in the Varney Report. Now I'm looking forward to working with government to turn that potential into practice. Yesterday also saw the publication of an Action Plan for third sector involvement in public service delivery. I'd like to see the two reports join-up so transformational government is included in those plans.

"In the words of the Prime Minister in September 2006, technology can indeed be 'profoundly empowering'. Let's make sure those who stand to benefit most from it are not left behind."

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For further information please contact Abi Stevens on 0778 666 0689, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Notes to editors