8182posts
-
How many pupils from Ukraine have been given school places in England?
We’ve published data that shows how many children from Ukraine have applied for and been offered school places since the start of the war. Here we answer your questions on the data.
-
Launching our ‘Women in Data’ network
We're excited to be launching a new network for women working in data roles in DWP Digital. Read more from Gemma about what the network hopes to achieve.
-
How we are continuing to support students who are struggling at university
Helping students be happy and healthy in their studies is crucial. That’s why, thanks to the creation of the first ever Student Support Champion, students will soon be able to benefit from more joined-up support from their universities Here’s everything …
-
Supporting carers at the CMA
Most people's lives will include one episode of caring for another. That's why we’re proud to announce that we’ve joined the Employers for Carers membership forum! At the CMA we're committed to creating an environment where employees can be open around their caring responsibilities and are supported. Find out more in James' blog.
-
Carers Week: adult social work's role supporting unpaid carers
"It is part of our job as social workers to be intuitively and professionally aware of the needs of those we serve" says Lyn Romeo, Chief Social Worker for Adults. "Carers Week emphasises the theme of making sure carers are ‘visible, valued and supported’, which reminds us of the principles of our practice."
-
GSE Conference: Highlights from Chief Scientific Advisors
The GSE Profession hosted the GSE Conference on 9 May at the London Science Museum, attended by over 400 in-person attendees as well as over 2000 members online. This was a really great event which showcased the breadth and depth …
-
Farming Investment Fund: Adding Value grants open for applications from 9 June
Following publication of the Adding Value manual on 23 May, the online checker is now open for you to apply. This £30 million fund offers grants focused on supporting farmers and growers to process, diversify and add value to their eligible agricultural products after they are harvested or reared. It offers grants of between £25,000 and …
-
Farming Investment Fund – new slurry infrastructure grants coming in autumn 2022
Today we’re announcing more details about the new slurry storage grants that we will be launching later this year, as part of the Farming Investment Fund. This post gives extra context to the information published today on GOV.UK. We explain what the new grant offers, how to apply and what to look out for over …
-
A farewell to Sue Winfield – Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear
Sue Winfield has been Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear for the past 8 years, but as of this month Sue is stepping down as she reaches her 75th birthday.
-
Defra Data Heroes: Meet the Information Appraisal Team
On International Archives Day we hear from Allison Wort, who leads Defra’s Information Appraisal Team, on the work her team does to process, archive and dispose of many thousands of historic files and departmental records each year.
-
Why should we build services using a design system?
Design systems are important in creating transparency, consistency and trust. Using design systems saves time and money. Find out more about why we use the NHS.UK and GOV.UK design systems.
-
Women working in digital, data and technology, part 2: leadership
There’s no set path to working in digital, data and technology (DDAT). Women working in these professions here at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) have come from many different backgrounds. Here are some of their stories. Trusting …
-
How Wiltshire farmers are helping to 'clean up' water in the Kennet catchment
Charlotte Hitchmough and Rupert Kelton from Action for the River Kennet talk about a project to improve river water quality and create new wetland habitat in a sub-catchment of the Kennet in Wiltshire. The Sparkling Streams project has repurposed an …
-
Trusted partnership with trusted private sector partners
The use of biometric surveillance by the state is a matter of increasing sensitivity and significant public concern - not just here but globally. As almost all of the technological capability for biometric surveillance is privately owned, the only way we will be able to harness the legitimate uses of that technology in the future …
-
Environment Agency launches flooding roadmap as it warns of “inevitable impacts of a rising sea level”
Actions include producing a new national assessment of flood risk, an updated national coastal erosion risk map and new long term investment scenarios, to better inform future investment decisions.
-
Carers Week: celebrating and supporting unpaid carers
Carers Week has always been about increasing visibility and support for those who give their time, energy and commitment to care for family, friends and loved ones. Which is why, as we emerge from the privations of the pandemic, this year’s theme of making carers more ‘visible, valued and supported’ has never been more relevant.
-
Updating your details and permissions in the Rural Payments service
Getting information out to farmers, land managers and agents is critical throughout the year. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) uses the data held in the Rural Payments service to send out prompts, reminders, and other helpful material. …
-
Why I’m supporting Pride month: Hannah’s story
In ‘Pride’ month, Enterprise Architect Hannah Radley shares her experience of coming out, of dealing with abuse, and explains why she continues to campaign for gay rights.
-
The GDS Fast-a-thon: how our Muslim community shared Ramadan
The Muslim Community at GDS hosted its third annual Ramadan Fast-a-thon, inviting colleagues of all backgrounds to take part in a fast. Find out how it went.
-
World Ocean Day - Natural England's Action for the Ocean
World Ocean Day is a global awareness event celebrated on the 8th June to highlight the vital role the Ocean has in our everyday life and to provide information about the different ways we can protect the Ocean. This year’s …
-
Smugglers who recruited drivers to conceal migrants in vans brought to justice
Two men who dangerously smuggled 31 illegal migrants into the UK, including seven children and a pregnant woman, have been sentenced to a combined 14 years in prison. Akan Brayan, of Nottingham, and Dylan Shwani, of Lincoln, were found guilty of …
-
Marine net gain – leaving the marine environment in better state.
Defra has just opened a 12-week consultation, seeking views on the proposed aims and principles of marine net gain and how to best introduce a net gain approach to infrastructure and development in the marine environment. Natural England welcomes this …
-
Carers Week: make support for unpaid carers reflective of our diverse communities
Being an unpaid carer during a global pandemic takes its toll, as does its aftermath. The impact is not just physical and emotional, it’s financial too. From speaking with her networks of unpaid carers, Fatima Khan-Shah knows these issues are front and centre of their minds during this year’s Carers Week.
-
How beavers and trees can support our waterways
Matt Holden is the Devon Beaver Project Lead for Devon Wildlife Trust. In this guest blog he introduces the work of Devon Wildlife Trust on beaver reintroduction in Devon.
-
Vocational and technical qualifications: what 10 years of data can tell us
High-quality evidence and insights are at the heart of our regulation. By collecting accurate data and producing clear statistics we gain a better understanding of qualifications, how the market functions and we pave the way to a fairer and more …
-
How we fixed connection reset errors on GOV.UK Pay
When the GOV.UK Pay team noticed some test payments were failing, they set about working out what was happening and how to fix it. Here’s what they did.
-
CVO comments on a recent paper on the effectiveness of badger culling
Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser Gideon Henderson and I have written to the Veterinary Record to express our concerns about significant methodological flaws in a scientific paper it has published by Langton and colleagues1 on the effect of badger culling on …
-
International work update on World Food Safety Day
Anjali Juneja, Director of International and UK Affairs, reflects on the FSA’s international work and explains how we are supporting this year’s World Food Safety Day theme of ‘safe food and better health’.
-
How we’re making sure all farm businesses can fairly access money released from Basic Payments
The government has committed to maintain the farming budget for England at £2.4 billion per year throughout this parliament. We will be gradually reducing spending on Basic Payments each year over the next 6 years. Instead, we will make the money available to farmers through one-off grants for capital investment in equipment and technology, and …
-
Minister Prentis provides update on investigation into crab and lobster deaths
On Thursday 2 June, Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis provided an update regarding the investigation into huge numbers of crabs and lobsters washed up along the coast of the North East last year.
-
Natural England announces new project to protect curlew eggs
Today we are looking at media coverage of Natural England’s project to rescue curlew eggs from airfields in the East of England.
-
Iterating the GOV.UK proposition: the first of our improvements for 2022
We update the GOV.UK proposition in response to changing policy and government needs. Read on to find out what’s changed.
-
Making caring visible, valued and supported
Two years after launching the Civil Service Carers’ Strategy, Alex Chisholm and Rebecca Sudworth, Civil Service Carers Champion and Deputy Carers Champion, provide an update on progress. Welcome to this year’s Carers’ Week – 6 to 12 June. Across the …
-
Celebrating World Environment Day: how we’re setting our sights on sustainable IT
On World Environment Day Defra’s Chief Digital and Information Officer Chris Howes shares his ambitions for sustainable IT, what we’re doing now, and how we are seeking to learn from others.
-
On my bike – using pedal power for my volunteering
On World Bike Day Continuous Service Improvement Manager Simone Burke shares her experiences of volunteering at a Bath ‘not for profit’, work that involves her cycling around the city collecting and delivering everyday items to people.
-
Time for tea: raising a cup to the IP in the Platinum Jubilee party
From street parties to balloons, to masks. Whatever your plans, we have you covered this bank holiday. We explore some of the fun IP in Jubilee.
-
Queen honours people for their contributions to education and childcare
Every year on her official birthday the Queen honours people who have gone above and beyond in public service. The list, published today, includes a number of people honoured for their contributions to education. Among them are: Afia Choudhury OBE Afia …
-
The currency of memory: how the Royal Mint and Royal Collection Trust are marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
In the lead up to Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee across the country projects are underway to ensure everyone can celebrate The Queen’s 70-year reign. More than 70,000 ‘Big Lunches’ are planned across the country, activities for children have …
-
The night sky in June
Stargazers can look forward to the summer solstice and noctilucent clouds this month.
-
A sobering success for alcohol monitoring requirements
According to latest crime statistics, 39% of victims of serious offences believe that alcohol played a part in the offence. Since March last year, courts in England have been able to impose Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Requirements (AAMRs). If drinking …