Citizen Portal Development

Service forms built around the actual eligibility and conditional logic of each service -- the questions that depend on previous answers, the document requirements that change based on the applicant's circumstances, the sections that are only shown to certain categories of applicant. Form validation that catches errors at the point of entry rather than after submission, with clear error messages that meet the plain-language requirements of government accessibility guidance. Save and return functionality so citizens can start a complex application, save their progress, and return to it without losing what they have already entered. Application reference number generated at submission with confirmation sent to the applicant's email address. Multi-step form journeys with a progress indicator so citizens can see how much of the application remains at each stage.

Identity verification integrated into the application journey at the point where the service requires it -- from basic email verification for low-risk services to document-based identity checking for services with higher fraud risk. Document upload with file type and size validation, virus scanning, and secure storage with the retention period configured to your data schedule. Document checklist presented to the applicant before they start so they know what they need to gather before the form times out. Automated document completeness check at submission -- if a required document is missing or the uploaded file is the wrong format, the applicant is notified at submission rather than after an officer has spent time reviewing an incomplete application. Secure document storage accessible to officers through the back-office case management interface without requiring documents to be downloaded and re-uploaded.

Citizen-facing case tracking view showing the current status of every active application the citizen has submitted -- where it is in the process, what the next step is, what the estimated timeline is, and whether any action is required from the citizen before the application can proceed. Status update notifications sent to the citizen's email address or mobile number when the application moves to a new stage, a decision is made, or additional information is required. Citizen-initiated correspondence from within the tracking portal -- the applicant can upload an additional document, ask a question, or respond to an officer request without logging a new enquiry through a separate channel. Application history retained in the citizen's account for the configured retention period so they can access decision notices, correspondence, and previous applications without contacting the service. Contact centre integration so officers can see the same case view as the citizen when handling telephone enquiries, reducing call handling time.

Payment processing integrated into the application journey at the appropriate point -- before submission for services where the fee is fixed, or after officer assessment for services where the fee depends on the application outcome. Integration with your existing payment gateway or council payment system so online payments reconcile with your finance system automatically rather than requiring a manual reconciliation step. Fee calculation logic built into the form based on the application details -- the building regulation fee that depends on the type and value of the works, the licence fee that varies by premises size, or the planning fee that is calculated from the proposed floor area. Payment receipt generated automatically and sent to the applicant's email address at the point of payment. Partial payment and payment plan handling for services where fees are paid in instalments. Refund management for applications that are withdrawn or refused where a refund is due under your fee schedule.

Integration with your existing back-office systems -- the case management system, the planning system, the finance system, the housing register -- so that applications submitted through the citizen portal appear in the back-office workflow without requiring an officer to re-enter the information. Integration architecture designed around what your back-office systems actually support: REST API where available, file-based exchange or database-level integration where APIs are not available, and a middleware layer for legacy systems with proprietary data formats. Address lookup integration with your property database or the national address gazetteer so applicants select from validated addresses rather than typing free text. GIS integration for location-based services where the application needs to be associated with a specific property, planning zone, or service area. Data mapping from the citizen portal application form to the back-office system's data model documented before development begins.

WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance built into the development process from the first sprint -- not audited against at the end of the project. Every component is built using accessible HTML patterns, with keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and sufficient colour contrast tested throughout development. Accessibility audit conducted before go-live with remediation of any issues identified. Security controls including HTTPS, secure session management, CSRF protection, and input sanitisation against injection attacks as a baseline. Data protection compliance with a Data Protection Impact Assessment produced for services handling personal data, retention periods configured to your data schedule, and subject access request tooling for the data protection obligations that apply to citizen records. Penetration testing facilitated before go-live with remediation of any critical findings.