Summary 

The process of privatization in the social service system in Russia is accompanied by increasing the actors providing social services for citizens, as well as increasing the number recipients of social services, and complicating the sources of financing for social assistance.  These processes have actualized the problem of transforming social sector management based on digital services. The national project "Digital Economy" adopted by the Russian government in 2019 includes the federal project "Digital Public Administration", which also provides for the digital transformation of state (municipal) services and services. To this aim, a new format of public services is being developed - 25 super services, covering the main issues of interaction between citizens and the state, including the calculation of pensions, registration of social benefits, and the provision of social services. The introduction of modern digital services is aimed at creating an accessible environment in terms of disseminating information about social security and social services necessary for citizens, that also makes easier the process of receiving social benefits and services.

Currently, the developing Unified State Information System for Social Security (hereinafter - USISSS), the implementation of which began in 2018, is a tool for the implementation of the designated tasks in the field of providing social support and social services to Russian citizens.

The main principles of functioning of USISSS are the follow:

■ ensuring the completeness, reliability, relevance and integrity of data received through the information system;

■ centralization of collection and gratuitous provision of information to USISSS for all users in accordance with their access rights;

■ one-time input of information and multiple use of it;

■ openness for integration with existing and emerging state and other information resources, departmental and interdepartmental information systems based on common formats of information interaction;

■ modularity of construction, adaptability, modifiability of the information system.

■ use of a system of interdepartmental electronic interaction.

USISSS consolidates information contained in federal, regional and municipal registers, other state information systems in the field of social protection and information systems of organizations that provide social protection measures and provide social services to citizens.

 At the same time, researchers pay attention to the risks of the transition to digital development, among which they highlight the persisting distrust of Russians in the use of digital technologies when receiving social services, insufficient digital capital of consumers of social services, large financial costs for the development of an electronic management system for the social sector, risks of the digital divide.

Nevertheless, the implementation of the Unified State Register of Social Security has positive effects on public administration and it changes the management of social support and social benefits. The introduction of the USISSS allows achieving a new quality of public administration in the field of state social assistance by improving accounting, analysis and planning of budgetary social expenditures, including the elimination of duplication of information. The digitalization of the social security system implies that the declarative approach on the part of the consumer of the service should be replaced by a proactive one on the part of the state, when the service is provided regardless of the appeal of citizens. Thus, the introduction of USISSS changes the positions of all participants in social interaction in the field of social assistance (support) in terms of ease of use, time required to obtain the necessary information, implementation of modern principles of social assistance and management efficiency.