Digital Log Book Connecting Citizens

Birmingham City Council developed the Digital Log Book project, with initial funding from the Department of Work and Pensions, to help those of its residents affected manage the transition to Universal Credit. The Digital Log Book was piloted with new applicants for council housing in the city, to address digital, social and financial inclusion, employment and health and well-being by changing people’s behaviour to help develop more sustainable tenancies.

Birmingham City Council housing teams worked in partnership with Etive, an SME that was already developing digital platforms in the private sector. This was facilitated through Digital Birmingham, the local authority’s team responsible for exploiting the benefits of digital technologies, who identified the opportunity to utilise the digital logbook to transform service provision and enhance digital skills. Birmingham City Council brought internal knowledge of the council business and organisation and Etive supported digital re-design through its technology expertise. It was co-designed with the new housing tenants and support staff centred on the ‘Gateways of Influence’ model, which looked at every aspect of the tenancy and an individual’s journey through that process.

The development of the Digital Log Book has been a key enabler in looking at how the local authority has transformed its service delivery to social housing tenants and shift to a digital by default model of service to achieve efficiencies & inclusion.