In 2012, the year of the London Olympics, the UK also got another new sort of connectivity. The launch of Gov.uk – a central ‘database’ of government services that now offers online registration and other citizen-focused directives – heralded a different direction for the provision of public services.
It’s not taken over, but it’s taken on many of the duties previously separated into different departments – and were under different domains. The centralised look and the efficient appeal has become synonymous with new services like Universal Credit, passport applications, and driver licence registrations.
The other services fit neatly into this framework. It’s easily updated and can often be an authoritative source of information. The go-to aspect is one that serves all generations. A common theme in public consultation is that we need to find things together. This makes Gov.uk an achievement for the Civil Service.