Government Gateway website works so well now

[Zak33]

Hi all

Quick story: I'm impressed with the Government Gateway. It really is working well now.

I have a Gateway ref for Tax returns and also applied for online State Pension Statements to be viewable there... ohh... 3 years ago.b So I have the initial entry sorted.

But late last week I lost my driving license (the card section, not the paper)

On Monday of this week, having given up taking my house and cars apart brick by brick/bolt by bolt to find it....I went online to get a new one.
I had to use the gateway and set up a driving license section of the gateway (another password.... yes)

However while doing it, it suggested, quite helpfully, that as my liense was due to expire (the photo card part) next year, would I like to get a whole new one now?
Yes please

Gets better...

Would I like to give permission to share my passport photo with the DVLA to get the license sorted quicker as it's a recent photo?
Yes please

Gets better....
Please pay... wait for it.... waiting for a good £50 kicking .. or similar....Please pay £14 now on your plastic.
Yes please .. done.. thanks...

Your licence will be about 2 weeks.


Happy Zaky.....


Any today.. it arrived! Thurday... 3 working days later, inc postage time

I think that's impressive for £14 and less than 10 minutes AND I have a new license card which I would have had to pay the £14 for anyway next year

Wonder if Amazon run it for them

[peterb]

Yes it is good, I had a similar experience moving house. I had the old pre-photo card license, so I was wondering how to get the photo, but it asked if it could use my passport photo - and it was free as it was an address change.

One might think it is slightly worrying is that there is the link between my passport and driving license, but I guess it it one of the benefits from the ID card system, even though ID cards were scrapped.

But only if you are paranoid and regard the Government as your enemy!
😊

[DDY]

https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence

That's a good laugh, it's kinda fun knowing I'm licenced to drive a tractor

I'm also on my 47th licence apparently!

[Kanoe]

Only crap thing about it is the password recovery. The amount of info they need is insane and i didn't pass the security questions so had to sign up for a new government gateway ID to get my driving license renewed. (Thing was they never sent the gateway ID number to me in the post so next time i use the service i wont know my ID and will have to sign up again!!)