GOV.UK blogs

Best Start Family Hubs: what parents need to know 

Giving children the best start in life shouldn't depend on your postcode. That's why we are rolling out Best Start Family Hubs across the country.  These hubs are just one part of a wider Best Start in Life strategy, where …

Islamophobia Working Group Definition 

In February, the government established an independent working group, chaired by Dominic Grieve KC, to advise on a definition of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia. This step has been taken in response to the concerning rise in anti-Muslim hate crime, which has reached …

Unlocking Nature for All

By Val Woods, Centre for Outdoor Accessibility Training (COAT) Lead Officer, Natural England I consider myself fortunate to be working on a fantastic project which is based at the beautiful Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve (NNR). I manage the Centre …

FETF 2025 closing soon: still time to apply

If you're thinking about investing in new kit, there’s still time to apply for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2025.  Applications are open now and will close at midday on 10 July.

Taking policy design to a global public audience

UK Civil Service’s first Biennale pavilion has been a great success. Curators Andrew Knight and Elli-ana Morley report on the event.

Celebrating Youth Employment Week

This week is Youth Employment Week and a chance to celebrate young people and those who support them.  It is also a time to think about the opportunities and barriers, that exist for young people entering the workplace in 2025. …

Locally rooted, community shaped: launch of the Isle of Wight and Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Nature Recovery Strategies

The recent publication of the Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight marks a major milestone in our collective mission to restore nature across England. They both showcase what can be achieved when local communities, experts and organisations work together to agree where action and investment in nature should be focused. Read this blog post to find out more.

How the Care Leavers Internship Scheme Changed My Career Path

Shannon shares her personal experience of completing the Civil Service Care Leavers Internship Scheme.

Misleading reporting on Employment Rights Bill

Coverage in a Sunday paper today suggests our Employment Rights Bill will see private firms being pressured into hiring diversity officers and will impose a ban on ‘offensive banter’ in the workplace. This is not the case. No business would …

How does science support sustainable places and pathways to net zero?  

By Dr Gina Cavan, Lead Scientist for Land Research  Achieving net zero by 2050, the UK’s legally binding target, will be a national effort. All parts of the country will contribute in different ways. Areas rich in natural resources will …

Our initial advice on disability benefit reform

Few challenges facing the country are more significant than ensuring our social security system provides the right support for people with disabilities and severe or chronic health conditions, supporting them to live independently and, for those who are able, to …

The 10 Year Health Plan and the role for social care

The social care sector welcomes the publication of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan for the health and care system, shaped in part by the ideas, concerns and lived experience of social cae colleagues.

They have unique insights into community-based care and how it can help ease pressure on an overstretched system.

Capital Grants now open for applications 

The Capital Grants offer is now open for new applications. This new round will make £150 million of funding available to farmers, land managers and rural businesses for practical environmental improvements across England.

Join our webinars to learn about vet visit funding for multiple herds and flocks 

Farmers in England can now get funding for vet visits for each of their herds or flocks of the same species. This includes Animal Health and Welfare Reviews and follow-up visits for endemic diseases, available through the Get Funding to Improve Animal Health and Welfare service. Join our July webinars to find out what the offer includes, how to apply and how it can support your farm.

Price transparency is important, it affects everyone 

It is vital that shoppers can access clear and timely pricing information.

Supporting Wellbeing and Nature’s Recovery – learning from the 7th Nature Connections Conference

Human health and nature are deeply interconnected.  However, many people do not feel a strong connection to nature in their day-to-day lives. Strengthening our connection to nature can address shared challenges such as health and wellbeing, drive nature’s recovery and …

Using research crits to improve our work

A research crit is a place for researchers to come together and provide each other advice and feedback on their work.  The benefits of a crit are they: How they started In the Children & Families Digital portfolio at DfE, …

Do I have to use a certified component in my service? 

The gamma (0.4) publication of the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework introduces certification for "component services". You don't have to use certified components – but you'll probably want to.

RISE teams: everything you need to know

RISE teams are currently working with over 200 schools – helping the department tackle underperformance so every parent can rely on a great education for their child.

Share your views on biodiversity net gain, plus more funding for local planning authorities

There are two live public consultations on biodiversity net gain: one on nationally significant infrastructure projects, and one on how we can help smaller developers to deliver the policy. Find out how to share your views.

Enabling sustainable growth — Natural England supporting nature-positive development 

By James Seymour, Natural England Area Manager for Kent and Sussex  At Natural England, we help facilitate housing developments by enabling developers to deliver vital environmental benefits through our strategic licensing tools. These include District Level Licensing for great crested …

Government confirms plans for a social rent revolution

Today the government has set out ambitions to deliver around 300,000 social and affordable homes through the new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, with at least 60% for social rent. This significant package includes a long-term plan – …

The 2 Terabyte Challenge: Information transfer for an AI tool

DBT’s service management team successfully transferred 2TB of data to help train an AI tool that helps reviewing digital records.

Improving our Environmental Permitting Service

Effective regulation is essential to the country’s growth, providing a level playing field where businesses can operate, innovate and thrive.With the accelerating impacts of climate change and rising global tensions, the need for energy security and sustainable growth has never …

The essential travel checklist to keep you and your family healthy on holiday

Planning a holiday abroad? This guide provides essential information to help you travel safely and minimise health risks. Whether you're planning a beach break, visiting family overseas, or embarking on a backpacking adventure, it’s worth thinking ahead so that you …

Improving Court Buildings: Making Justice Work Better for Everyone

We’re investing £148m to upgrade court buildings, making them safer, more efficient, and welcoming for all. From urgent repairs to new, modern sites, we’re building a justice system fit for the future.

Landmark review launched into parental leave and pay

The government has launched a review into the parental leave and pay system – the first of its kind in Britain – to help working families and give children a better start in life. There is widespread positive coverage of …

Libraries sector in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025

DCMS is the largest contributor of honours nominations across Whitehall and an incredible 248 people from across DCMS sectors were recognised in The King’s official Birthday Honours List (20% of the total 1,215 awards).  Here on the Libraries blog, we’re …

NATO first: Supporting our allies on Exercise Catamaran 

Braunton Burrows Training Area is one of our most unique and complex areas to train owing to its coastal location and extensive sand dune system.   As DIO’s Head of Overseas and Training region, I recently had the privilege of visiting …

Why bother to baseline? 

For any public sector organisation with a net zero commitment, establishing a carbon emissions baseline is the first meaningful step.

Increasing incentives for business to invest in nature: new call for evidence

Getting more private sector investment into nature recovery is vital. Here's an update on how we're encouraging that, including a new call for evidence.

Launching Shuttle: Driving new UK business growth in the space sector 

The UK space industry is experiencing dynamic growth, offering exciting opportunities not only for traditional space businesses but also for businesses in adjacent industries such as defence, energy, advanced manufacturing and automotive. 

How our digital teams supported innovation in flood risk services

Helen Eden, Programme Delivery Manager for Flood at Defra, celebrates the success of our Flood Digital Team, who have been recognised for their innovative work in delivering crucial flood risk information to help protect communities across the UK and plan for the future.

Support That Empowers: My Journey Through Care and Why the DfE Care Leavers Resource Website Matters

Lawrence shares his story as a care leaver and talks about the Department for Education's recently launched Support for Care Leavers resource website.

Celebrating the Year of Engineering Biology at UKRI

Exploring the transformative potential of engineering biology  Engineering biology is a transformative technology predicted to add up to $4 trillion per annum to the global economy over the next decade. Since 2007, UKRI has invested over £800m in engineering biology, …

Photos of Vehicles at MOT – sharing the results from our first trial with garages

DVSA has completed the first Images in Garages trial – one of the building blocks that will help us tackle errors at MOT and fraudulent “Ghost” MOTs.  In March, we asked a group of garages to take a photo of …

What you need to know about UV (ultraviolet) radiation

Ultraviolet, or UV, radiation, comes to earth from the sun. The ozone layer protects those of us on the ground from most of it, but some does reach the surface. Here’s a quick briefing on UV. How to protect yourself When …

How we are supporting the farming community to manage the impacts of dry weather

Current situation Spring 2025 across England was the driest since 1893 with all areas receiving well below average rainfall. The dry spring has seen exceptionally low river flows experienced across northern and central England. Recent rainfall at the start of …

Supporting Cadets: How DIO provides infrastructure for tomorrow's leaders 

As Colonel Cadets, I serve as the Army Cadet advisor to the Commander South West. The Commander commands the Army Cadets, while I provide the crucial interface between the Chain of Command of the Army Cadet Forces (ACF) Counties, the …

A year of growth: tree planting rates hit their highest level in over 20 years

Richard Chapman, Deputy Director of Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund Tree Programme, highlights the latest annual statistics, what has been achieved over the past year and what is to come. Yesterday, the Forestry Commission published their latest set of Provisional …