Government and Post Office partner to offer in-person access to services

The Government and the Post Office have teamed up to make online government services easier to access for people struggling with digital skills.

The face-to-face service – aimed at the elderly or people who are digitally excluded – is an extension of the GOV.UK One Login programme currently being rolled out.

The One Login programme simplifies access to government services, meaning users only need one account, username, password, and identity check to access a range of services, such as applying for benefits like pension credit, conducting DBS checks or accessing self-assessment tax returns.

To set up the One Login account, people need an email address and mobile phone number. Smartphone users with photo ID can use the GOV.UK One Login identify check – which has already been downloaded by more than three million people – to prove their identity.

The new partnership means that anyone who doesn’t want to - or can’t - complete the online application, will be able to visit their local post office to verify their identity, meaning that those with lower digital skills aren’t excluded from moving onto One Login.

The Government Digital Service is also launching a service to provide people with extra support through phone and email.

More Than 2.2 million people have already used One Login and the government predicts that users will have access to 100 different services through the programme by 2025.