As part of the Government COVID-19 emergency measures put in place in March, public offices remained open for essential services only, with public sector workers asked to work remotely where possible. This survey collected data over the first two quarters of 2020, when public offices were largely closed. Respondents were asked about the type of e-Government service that they accessed online. Over five in ten (53%) internet users obtained information from public authorities’/public services’ websites or apps, an increase of three percentage points on 2019. Downloading/printing of official forms and submitting of official forms also increased. Half (50%) of internet users reported downloading/printed official forms (an increase of two percentage points on 2019), while 63% submitted forms online, up three percentage points on 2019 figures. Note that more than one option could be selected by respondents See Table 4.1 and Figure 4.1.
Respondents who did not submit completed official forms online, were asked for their reasons for not doing so. By far the most common reason was that Did not have to submit official forms at all, with 61% giving this as a reason for not availing of this e-Government service, compared with 49% in 2019. One in twenty (5%) had Concerns about protection/security of personal data, and a further 5% said that a Lack of skills or knowledge prevented them from availing of this service. See Table 4.2 and Figure 4.2.
| Reasons for not completing official forms online | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Did not have to submit official forms at all | 49 | 61 |
| No such website service available | 1 | 2 |
| Lack of skills or knowledge | 10 | 5 |
| Concerns about protection/ security of personal data | 6 | 5 |
| Another person did it on my behalf | 24 | 6 |
| Other reason | 15 | 7 |
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