This is a big week for the Haringey Council website as we are set to undergo some changes that will see sections of the site become clearer, simpler and more accessible for you to use.
Over the last 6 months we have worked with designers and Haringey residents on redesigning the council website.
The work is not finished, but if you visit the following parts of the website, you will see a brand-new look.
- Council Tax
- Benefits and financial support
- Birth, deaths, marriages, and citizenship
- Leisure, parks and culture
- Rubbish and recycling
We invite you to try out the pages and let us know what you think, using the link at the top of each page. We will continue to refine and change the designs in response to feedback.
This is only the start of our journey as we look to refresh the whole website in the coming months.
What we have improved
The work so far has been steered by what residents have told us in previous research. You can find details of the research here. The new site design:
- Introduces a new, cleaner and less cluttered look based on best practice, highly accessible, Government Digital Service standards
- Works better on mobile phones
- Cuts down the amount of text on web pages to make it shorter and clearer and more mobile friendly
- Makes it easier to find contact information if you want to get in touch and can’t use the website
How you can help
We want to make sure that everyone has a voice in improving the design of our new site and forms.
We will be contacting community groups directly over the coming weeks to ask them to get involved and if you are interested in volunteering to be part of a group that tests forthcoming features you can fill in this short form to register your interest and find out more.
We are looking for people of all ages and abilities including those who struggle using websites, people who mainly use their phones, and people with disabilities.
Service-by-service
Housing Repairs
What: We want to make it easier for you to use the website to request repairs – and just as importantly, to be able to see what has happened to your request and see when it is scheduled to happen.
When: You’ll see the first changes in July, when we introduce new forms for requesting repairs and a new account system to help you see how your repair request is progressing. We will also be updating the design of the web pages in this section of the website later in the summer.
Housing Benefits
What: The rules around claiming housing benefit are complex, meaning the forms tend to be complicated and hard to navigate. We are going to make things simpler by introducing new context-sensitive e-forms that help applicants navigate the application process more easily. The same forms will also help our Customers Services team handle enquiries quickly and efficiently.
When: The benefits webpages have already been rewritten, with new forms scheduled to be introduced in September, together with an account system to make it easy for residents to see how their application is going.
Council Tax
What: Similarly with housing benefits, we are creating new e-forms to make it simpler to make payments, request discounts and exemptions, and tell us about changes.
When: The council tax webpages have already been redesigned, with new forms and account functionality following in September.
Parking
What: The current system for requesting parking permits is confusing and and hard to navigate. We are working to simplify the application forms, so they work nicely with mobile phones and are more accessible to vision-impaired users.
When: These improvements are expected in July/August.
Adults Social Services
What: Adults Social Services will be simplifying their pages and forms, making it easier to request assessments and support.
When: The new improved forms will be going live in July, with the new simplified webpage designs following later in the year.
Childrens Social Services
What: Childrens Social Services will also be simplifying their web pages and their assessment and support request forms.
When: New improved forms will be available in October, alongside refreshed web content.
