Putting local-government digitalisation into practice

Residents increasingly expect contact with public offices to feel as simple and intuitive as online banking or shopping. For local governments, that means developing more than e-services. They must design them around residents’ actual needs, expectations and experiences.

The Polska Bezgotówkowa Foundation says it has supported public institutions with digitalisation and administrative innovation for more than eight years. By the end of June 2026, almost 4,000 offices and public institutions had used solutions provided through the Polska Bezgotówkowa programme. Together, they had installed nearly 22,000 devices for accepting cashless payments.

Digital payments made through the programme in the public sector exceeded 12 million in 2025. For local authorities, the foundation says, one integrated solution can improve the resident experience while making the collection of payments more orderly, automated and efficient.

A study commissioned by the foundation identified six main reasons local governments are developing e-payments in the mObywatel app. They include rising resident expectations, the ability to use the service anywhere and at any time, fewer payment errors, support for modern administration, the potential to reduce arrears and faster access to information about completed payments.

“The greatest value of digital payments is their practical character,” said Tomasz Misiak, the foundation’s deputy chief executive. Residents do not need to choose an account number, enter payment details or worry about describing a transfer correctly, he said. Integration with administrative systems reduces the number of steps and the risk of mistakes, while giving offices faster information about payments. The foundation presents e-payments in mObywatel as another stage in the development of digital administration, focused on reducing formalities and guiding users through the entire process.

“

The greatest value of digital payments is their practical character. A resident does not need to wonder which account number to choose, what information to enter or whether the transfer was described correctly.