E-government automatically transferring disability benefits without any bureaucracy

Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Azerbaijan: Implemented a reverse system for disability benefits and pensions, automating verification and payment processes. Benefited over 46,800 persons with disabilities from 2020 to 2023.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan has implemented a reverse system for receiving disability benefits and pensions that eliminates the need for individuals to submit applications or gather paperwork by automatically verifying eligibility and assigning benefits. The system pulls information from over 80 stakeholders, calculates, and wires the amount due. In total, over 46,800 persons with disabilities have benefited from this e-government service between 2020 and 2023.

Problems Targeted

Applying for government-funded support services is very often an enormous bureaucratic effort in Azerbaijan, and especially difficult to manage by persons with disabilities.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

The Republic of Azerbaijan has implemented e-government processes that have improved the efficiency and transparency of public services, including the digitalization of services related to employment, social protection, and social security. In 2019 the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population (MLSPP) changed the systems whereby disability benefits and pensions reached the beneficiaries, and largely automated the process so that benefits and pensions are now transferred automatically. Before 2019, to apply for benefits people with disabilities had to gather about seven documents from various governmental agencies. This lengthy and pointless procedure has been eliminated and replaced by a new, proactive mechanism. The e-government system integrated databases and information sources from many government stakeholders, as well as the MLSPP’s centralized electronic information system, which guarantees the sharing and use of information and fosters cooperation among various state entities. After a person applies online to use this government service, it automatically verifies eligibility and assigns the benefit or pension without requiring any further lengthy application or the submission of any documentation. The system assigns and calculates the social payment right away and notifies the person by SMS. The notification includes information about the amount of the pension, the bank branch, and the time to collect a bank card. The person can also access this information via the ‘e-social.az’ Internet portal.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The MLSPP provides the necessary financing for maintaining the entire electronic system. The MLSPP is volunteering to share its experience of using ICT to assign social payments to people with disabilities with other governments. (Awardee 2024)

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