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Better sharing of citizen contact information across the public sector
The Citizen Information Project (CIP) evaluated how public money could be saved, and services to citizens improved, by increasing the sharing of basic citizen information (contact details such as name, address and date of birth) across central and local Government. Although some parts of the public sector are rationalising the information they hold, there are still many systems attempting to maintain local citizen contact details. We have been able to identify at least five sets of contact details held separately for every single person in the UK.
Around half of UK citizens move house within seven years, and some more frequently. Sharing latest contact information about an increasingly mobile population across the public sector increases the chance of keeping up with these changes and therefore successfully contacting citizens. This would benefit many public services.
The project was led by the UK government's Office for National Statistics (ONS), with close involvement of Her Majesty's Treasury (HMT), the Home Office Identity Cards Programme, other government departments and other stakeholders.
The project consisted of two phases. A feasibility study was completed in 2003, and a 'Project Definition' phase with final recommendations in 2005. Documents from the two phases can be downloaded on the following pages.
The key documents are 2005 Project Definition report and the 2006 Ministerial statement.
The CIP project is now closed, and its recommendations are being taken forward by other government departments. The National Identity Register proposed as part of the Home Office Identity Cards Programme will, subject to legislation, deliver many of the CIP benefits in the longer term by effectively acting as the UK adult population register.