By Sarah Left, 14 January 1999 16:56
NEWS The UK Treasury has handed out the first round of funding in its Invest to Save programme - and much of the money will benefit electronic government initiatives. Invest to Save was set up to encourage innovative programmes that bring together services from two or more government departments, sharing resources and saving money in the long-term. The Treasury awarded £120m to 33 projects, to be spent over the next three years. The largest chunk of money - £80m - went to a joint Department for Social Security (DSS) and Department for Education and Employment project called Single Gateway designed to provide a one-stop shop for benefits claimants. According to the DSS, it will trial call centres as an initial contact point for claimants. The service will go on trial in four areas of the country from June, and another 8 areas will be added by November. Another round of funding will be announced next year, as the Treasury has a total of £230m earmarked for Invest to Save projects. Local government will also be able to apply.
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