The Public Value Award Shortlist

e-services Team, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

The DVLA provides a highly effective and convenient online service to UK citizens carrying out driver licence transactions.

Before a driving licence is issued DVLA needs to ensure that online customers have their identity verified, to protect the security and intrinsic value of a driving licence as well as prevent fraud and ID theft. To help reduce the rejection rates for first-time applicants for driving licences the National Audit Office also recommended that DVLA explore the potential and practicality for validating identity using the Department for Work and Pensions – (DWP) electronic Customer Information System (CISx).

DVLA worked with colleagues in DWP to introduce a link between the DVLA Driver Licensing Online Service and their database.

Through linking with DWP this has enabled DVLA to utilise trusted data from another government department for authentication purposes. As a result this has delivered a major step forward in improving customer service. It is a great example of how cross-government working can benefit customers, taxpayers and stakeholders.

Since implementation, the link has quickly become key to the authentication and validation of our online driving licence customers, which have grown from 720,000 in 2008-09, to 1.4m in 2010/11 and a target of 1.8m this year.