9 in 10 people make use of government websites
This survey is conducted annually from April to July by CBS. In 2022, nearly 6 thousand people aged 16 years or older took part in the survey.
Government websites include websites of public institutions for e.g. filing tax returns, applying for benefits and subsidies, submitting address changes or making an appointment for a passport or driving license. Websites of public institutions are also considered as government websites, such as websites of energy suppliers, healthcare or educational institutions, or libraries.
| Gebruiksdoel | 2022 (% people aged 16 years and over) |
|---|---|
| Total usage | 90 |
| Make an appointment or reservation | 71 |
| Search for information or advice | 67 |
| Receive official documents | 67 |
| View personal data | 65 |
| Download forms | 64 |
| Tax return via Internet | 54 |
| Look up information in registers | 30 |
| Request official documents | 19 |
| Apply for benefits or subsidies | 17 |
| Other requests or complaints | 17 |
Netherlands among top 3 EU countries with highest
e-Government usage
In 2022, the Netherlands was among the top 3 EU countries with the highest percentage of inhabitants aged 16 to 74 using e-Government. Only Denmark and Sweden had a higher share. e-Government usage was lowest in Romania and Bulgaria. The EU average in 2022 was 68 percent.
| Landen | Government website usage (% people aged 16-74) |
|---|---|
| Denmark | 97 |
| Sweden | 95 |
| Netherlands | 93 |
| Finland | 93 |
| Cyprus | 90 |
| Luxembourg | 89 |
| Estonia | 86 |
| Ireland | 84 |
| Belgium | 83 |
| France | 83 |
| Spain | 80 |
| Czechia | 79 |
| Malta | 76 |
| Austria | 74 |
| Slovakia | 74 |
| Lithuania | 74 |
| Slovenia | 73 |
| Hungary | 73 |
| Latvia | 71 |
| Portugal | 69 |
| EU-average | 68 |
| Greece | 68 |
| Italy | 66 |
| Croatia | 57 |
| Poland | 55 |
| Germany | 51 |
| Bulgaria | 26 |
| Romania | 21 |
| Source: CBS, Eurostat | |
Use of government websites highest among 25 to 64-year-olds
The vast majority of 25 to 64-year-olds, 94 percent, made use of a government website in 2022. Young people between the ages of 16 and 24 were slightly less likely to do so, at 91 percent, as were older people aged 65 to 74, namely 87 percent. People of 75 and over made the least use of government websites, namely 63 percent.
| Kenmerk | 2022 (% people aged 16 years and over) |
|---|---|
| 16-24 yrs | 91 |
| 25-34 yrs | 95 |
| 35-44 yrs | 95 |
| 45-54 yrs | 94 |
| 55-64 yrs | 93 |
| 65-74 yrs | 87 |
| 75 yrs and over | 63 |
Of those with a higher vocational (HBO) or university degree, 97 percent made use of a government website in 2022. Among those with at most a vocational school diploma, this was 78 percent. Men were slightly more likely to make use of e-Government than women, namely 91 versus 88 percent.
Over 4 in 10 users experience issues
Of those who made use of e-Government in 2022, 42 percent experienced issues. Technical problems while using a government website or app, such as the website becoming unresponsive or the app functioning slowly, was the most frequently mentioned complaint, namely 27 percent. In second and third place, user-unfriendliness of the website or use of difficult words, 17 percent were mentioned, and the use of the electronic signature or electronic ID, such as DigiD, namely 16 percent. Twelve percent of the users indicated that the website or service was not compatible with mobile phones or tablets. Issues with online payment or other issues were mentioned by 7 and 6 percent respectively.
| Problemen | 2022 (% users e-Government) |
|---|---|
| Total | 42 |
| Technical issues | 27 |
| User-unfriendly | 17 |
| Issues with electronic signature | 16 |
| Not compatible with mobile phone/tablet | 12 |
| Payment issues | 7 |
| Other issue | 6 |