In the last year and a half, Social Security in-person attendance dropped by 16%, which equates to four million fewer people at offices. This result was achieved through the "People First" program, which aims at the digital transformation of the system, allowing millions of attendances to be resolved through digital channels, avoiding trips to offices. The assessment was presented this Monday by the Minister of Labour, Maria do Rosário Palma Ramalho, at the "Social Conecta" event in Lisbon.
The minister highlighted that the program allowed in-person attendance to be reserved for more complex cases and for people in vulnerable situations. Among the implemented measures are new payment methods such as virtual IBAN and MB Way, remote life verification, a new unified portal and a more intuitive application, as well as online simulators that have already recorded three million uses.
Palma Ramalho mentioned that several benefits that previously required in-person visits were automated, such as parental leave, the Solidarity Supplement for the Elderly and disability pension, all now available online. The digitalization also prevented 76.5 million euros in improper payments, making the system "more efficient and fair".
The Minister for the Deputy Prime Minister and State Reform, Gonçalo Matias, considered the reform an example to be followed by other entities, noting that it consists of solving problems for people and businesses. The official also advocated for the potential of Artificial Intelligence to anticipate citizens' needs and speed up decision-making times, allowing public services to reach all corners of the country.
