The Government’s digital by default strategy is expected to create savings of £500 million.

The move to digital services such as the move to paperless systems has allowed savings to be passed directly to the taxpayer through the reduction of public service prices.

Currently of the 25 services selected for digitalisation in 2013, 1 is already live, 15 are currently in beta, 6 are currently in alpha while three remain in discovery.

Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said. “we need to make more savings so the country can live within its means. Our digital-by-default agenda is part of our long-term economic plan to tackle the deficit we inherited. I’m pleased to announce today that we expect to save at least £500 million from IT spend this year, on top of the £500 million we saved from government’s IT spend last year and £250 million the year before”.

The move to increase the UK public sectors use of digital services by default came as part of the Digital Strategy launch in 2012.

Maude lauds UK as a ‘World-leader’ in digital by default