British Post Office makes it easier for customers to access key services

British Post Office has joined the government’s digital marketplace, GCloud 11, with a suite of identity services on offer to all government departments and agencies.

Being part of the framework streamlines the entire procurement process for any government department seeking to work with Post Office.

Martin Edwards, Managing Director of Identity Services at Post Office, commented: “We are delighted to be able to offer our services through GCloud 11. We are uniquely placed to serve customers who may be digital natives, while also supporting those who prefer to engage with our services face to face.

“We look forward to working with our government partners in the identity space. We share many common goals, including tackling issues such as digital and financial exclusion. By helping customers to prove who they are in an easy and inclusive manner, we believe we will remove barriers that impede access to key services such as Universal Credit, and passport applications,”

There are three Post Office Identity Services available on the framework. These are:

• Digital Identity – enabling millions of users to prove who they are and to share verified data and documents straight from their device
• In-branch verification – providing support for specific customers who require face to face identity verification
• Document certification – certifies copies of original documents with additional digital image capture available, if required

These services offer government partners the flexibility of ‘bricks and clicks’. Digital services support those citizens who are confident to navigate the online world. And a network of 11500 outlets continues to bridge the gap for those who require face to face services and support. 93% of the UK population lives within 1 mile of a Post Office.

With a website that attracts millions of visitors each year and 11500 branches, Post Office is conveniently accessible to all. The Identity Services team already works with a range of government partners, including DVLA, Her Majesty’s Passport Office and the Cabinet Office

Digital Identity focuses on helping users to create a reusable identity that can be shared across all sectors and use cases, from government and financial services, health and welfare, travel and age restricted retail. Once a user has created their digital identity they can use it time and time again without the need for further verification.

Document Certification provides up to three copies of an original document, certified to state that they are a true likeness to the original:   Includes all common forms of ID: passports, driving licences, utility bills and bank statements.