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I think GOV.UK in general does a very good job of making important information readily available. It’s however extra jarring switching between the clean/efficient style of the online messaging and the underlying public services/offices that are still held together by chewing gum and a fax machine, whenever you have some issue that can only be resolved by persuading a human to stamp some paper (Visas, public records, etc.)

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At least you got that. Try Spain, when the tax agency uses behavioral data and puts incentives for tax agents, but you can't get a f*ing appointment for pretty much any service as they use the most stupid appointment system ever, and 90% of the state services are subcontracted to the lowest bidder making everything a PITA to use.

All the fancy tech to get in your pockets. For everything else, go f*k yourself.

It was a lot worse a decade ago. The GDS have done a pretty good job of unifying the design language and methodology of disparate government departments, but of course, it is a huge job. It clearly involves just as much cultural and organisational overhaul as it does technology work.

Most recently I found the DVLA license renewal was one of those ugly backwaters (albeit still fully online), but their license check code generator is great.

For real terrible stuff, check out local council websites.

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