9412posts
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Why your property's Council Tax band could increase
There are times when a property may be moved into a higher Council Tax band. In this blog, we’ll look at the four main reasons it could happen.
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Content isn’t static: what I learned about content ownership in the world of AI summaries
We reviewed a number of Department for Business and Trade (DBT) tagged pages flagged for review to confirm ownership and decide next action: update or retire. Without clear ownership and ongoing stewardship, content can drift while remaining live. AI systems and search tools can continue to surface older material without context, increasing the importance of …
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Why user research panels matter - Part One
Sophie Werkshagen shares her experiences of managing a participant panel for a government service, reflecting on why user research panels - and the people who maintain them - matter. In Defra we design and deliver services that support farming, food …
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DVSA’s digital year in review: championing our colleagues
In part 2 of our blog series, Becky Thomas, Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO), highlights some of the people, projects, and programmes that drive continuous improvement behind the scenes at DVSA Digital and Data.
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Coastal Planners Corner
North East In recent months, Kathleen had been focusing on developing the employment and heritage assets policies for the East Marine Plan. This has been a collaborative process, as we refine policies based on stakeholder feedback and insights from an …
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Explainer: Everything you need to know about modernising polling stations
The way we vote in person has not changed since 1872. Big changes are being tested in the way people vote at polling stations – helping to make elections more convenient, accessible and better suited to modern life. What’s changing? 🗳️ Making voting more convenient Several councils will …
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Building procurement knowledge and confidence with Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) training funded by DfE
Anthony Degnan, Finance Manager at Ad Astra Academy Trust, tells us what he has gained professionally after undertaking a DfE-supported Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Procurement Fundamentals course. Ad Astra Academy Trust is a multi-academy trust in the North East of England, with ten primary schools spread across Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, …
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We’re simplifying how you contact us about some of our grants
We’re changing the way you contact us by email about some of our grants. If you’ve emailed us at one of the addresses listed below, you should now use ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk. What you need to do Remove the email addresses listed below from your safe sender list and do not use them to contact us in …
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Government Veterinary Communities Explained: AGV & GVS
By Anthony Ridge, Deputy Head of Veterinary Trade Facilitation, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs I’ve spent the past eight years as a government vet, starting at the Animal and Plant Health Agency and now working in Defra as …
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Researchers and suppliers give UK NSC insights into novel cervical screening technologies
The UK NSC hosted a roundtable engagement day with 10 organisations to discuss emerging, novel developments relevant to cervical screening tests.
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Welsh Language Services: here when you need us
Hywel, Caren and Mari from the Welsh Language Unit to explore the support available, from dedicated helplines and translation services to in-court interpreters and why being able to speak your first language can make all the difference during life's most difficult moments.
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Exploring Opportunities to Improve Integration Between Marine Planning and Licensing
In Autumn 2025, MMO announced plans to move away from the current Marine Case Management System (MCMS) to a new and improved marine licensing service fit for the future. The service improvements involve replacing the current technology with the aim …
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Collaborating at scale for nature and people
In this post, Mike Morecroft, Deputy Director for Climate Change Science at Natural England, reflects on the Resilient Landscapes and Seas partnership symposium held recently in Edinburgh, where conservationists, scientists and land managers from across the UK and beyond came …
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Publication of evidence reports
We’ve recently published a number of evidence projects that support marine planning and policy development that explore local decision-making, opportunities for co-existence, and socio-economic trends. A local approach to decision-making for marine planning: a spatial framework for a pilot phase …
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Why meat inspections matter - and how we’re making sure they stay effective
Cymraeg When you buy meat - whether it’s from your local butcher, supermarket or farmers’ market - you expect it to be safe and produced to high welfare standards. Trust is essential for the meat industry to thrive, and at …
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How OFSI Prioritises Licence Applications
OFSI remains committed to a transparent, fair and effective licensing process. Publishing this prioritisation framework is part of our continuing efforts to ensure that applicants understand how we assess cases and what they can do to support timely decision‑making. OFSI receives a wide variety of licence applications each year, ranging from urgent …
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Securing personal data across government
New principles for a digital age: Senior leaders, delivery teams and data professionals across government are encouraged to adopt these principles as the foundation for secure, trusted services.
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Why the RPC matters – because independent scrutiny improves UK regulation
This is the final post in our series answering the simple but important question: why does the RPC matter?
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Deliver grant funding and Access grant funding: a digital service built to last
In this blog post, Kate Harries, head of user-centred design for the Funding Service, shares how the team have been creating a new sustainable digital service to provide a more user-centred and data rich experience for grant teams and grant recipients alike.
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Meet the people behind the APHA Science Blog
Step behind the scenes and meet the small but dedicated team who help bring APHA’s science stories to life, turning complex work into something anyone can enjoy.
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Dragons' Den IP Blog - Series 23 Episode 5
There was a mixed bag of businesses in the Den tonight; from gut-friendly ferments to build-your-own headphones, to a dating app with a difference. Yet there was one thing they all had in common – innovation.
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How we’re helping trustees navigate their fundraising responsibilities
We’ve updated our guidance on fundraising (CC20) and emergency appeals guidance (CC40) to help trustees clearly understand their responsibilities, especially at a time when charities may need to work harder for donations whilst also seeing increased demand for their services.
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How digital identity can support compliance with the UK’s Money Laundering Regulations
Guidance on how the UK digital verification services trust framework interacts with Money Laundering Regulations is now available. Find out more.
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Guest blog: Using Biodiversity Net Gain to Support Dynamic Habitats
How do you create dynamic habitat systems, that are allowed to shift, grow, and reshape themselves naturally, within the rules of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)? BNG requires that developers leave nature in a measurably better state either on site and …
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Designing justice for the future
The new London Tribunals Centre at 7 Newgate Street will deliver modern, flexible hearing spaces and improved accessibility, bringing teams together to support better, more efficient services.
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UK NSC consults on screening for biliary atresia in newborns
The UK NSC has opened a consultation on evidence relating to screening for biliary atresia in newborns.
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How a ‘Hackathon’ approach can accelerate the implementation of digital solutions
AI Generated Infographic illustrating the core elements of the hackathon Jay Ashcroft shares how a ‘Hackathon’ approach can foster creativity and produce working digital solutions in days. At the end of the summer, we collaborated on a ‘Hackathon’ event which …
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Modern Systems for a Modern Industry – how MyVT is transforming experiences
Over the past few years, we’ve made major changes to how Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) applications are processed. We have introduced Manage your Vehicle Testing (MyVT) – the successor to the Technical Application System (TAS) – a new digital system designed to save you time, effort and money. We know, that as businesses working with vehicle approvals, you want to save time …
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Being an intelligence analyst at Companies House
Intelligence analysts at Companies House examine data to uncover hidden patterns and spot potential misuse of the register. Read how their work helps decide where to focus efforts in tackling economic crime.
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Seabed Carbon Risks: What Our Evidence Shows
A new technical briefing reviews the latest evidence on how trawling, other human activities and climate change affect seabed carbon.
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Reflections from the Space Communicators’ Network
Last year, the UK Space Agency’s External Affairs team hosted the Space Communicators’ Network Workshop at the UK Space Conference in Manchester, to move the conversation about space communications from talking about the challenges to taking meaningful action.
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Levelling the playing field with Microsoft accessibility
Accessibility isn’t just a feature, it’s a commitment. I wanted to highlight the importance of increasing the awareness of Microsoft’s many accessibility features to help support EVERYONE.
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Defining Success for Wildlife: What Does "Thriving" Really Mean?
How do we know when a species is truly thriving, rather than just surviving? This is the question Natural England has been working to answer. We've now published new definitions that set out exactly what success looks like for four …
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SFI26: details, definitions and what to expect
In this post, we explain what to expect from the Sustainable Farming Incentive offer in 2026. We also share the list of the 71 actions available in the new offer, with payment rates.
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NFU26: how we’re building farming resilience
Today at the NFU Conference, Secretary of State Emma Reynolds shared more detail on how government will deliver its vision for agriculture. In this post, we summarise the announcements in her speech and what they mean for the sector.
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Connecting businesses with nature: relaunching Projects for Nature
Projects for Nature is entering a new chapter led by Spacehive, a fundraising platform which connects businesses and other donors with credible, high-quality nature recovery projects across England. Read this post to find out more.
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Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2026: guidance now available
Applications for the next round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF 2026) open on 17 March. The guidance is now live, and we’re hosting a webinar to help you prepare.
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The Bat Advice Service (BAS) – Reforming Natural England’s advice for householders
15 April 2026: Blog update In the below blog we said that we were planning to move the Bat Advice Service (BAS) to an online system over the coming year. We want to deliver the best outcomes for both bats …
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Beyond The Reef: A leg of surprises in the Turks and Caicos Islands
On the 31st of January, the RRS James Cook sailed into Turks and Caicos waters, ready to uncover an unknown world in the depths. Generations of local knowledge and extensive research is available for the shallow, coastal waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). In contrast, there …
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Splink or Swim: The Benefits of Being Small Enough To Fail
A behind-the-scenes look at winning the Civil Service innovation award Suppose the Civil Service embarked on an ambitious project to create software that would be used widely in government and beyond. The design would involve cross-departmental and international collaboration, and the …