GOV.UK blogs

Primary school admissions 2025: How to apply and when is the deadline?

Parents of children aged three and four will be thinking about submitting their applications to secure their child’s place at primary school for the next academic year.    The deadline is fast approaching and applying on time will boost your chances …

Keeping close at Christmas – a musical ‘advent’ure

Find out how we're engaging as a team across multiple sites this Christmas period.

Meet the Modern Civil Service: Bob Kamall, Engagement Manager, Central Digital and Data Office

To celebrate Government Digital and Data’s one year anniversary, CDDO’s Engagement Manager Bob Kamall shares his reflections on 46 years in government, as he approaches retirement.

Digital Planning: developing planning applications specifications in the open 

The first collaborative sessions with the planning community to develop data specifications for planning applications have taken place. Find out about the ambition, the progress being made and how you can get involved.

1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act - a reflection from Navroza Ladha

By Navroza Ladha, Chief Officer for Legal, Governance and External Affairs at Natural England On the 16 December this year (2024) we will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the groundbreaking “1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act”, …

Unregistered children’s homes: too many vulnerable children are placed at risk

We have published our new analysis of the concerning rise in the use of unregistered children’s homes. Last year, we opened over 1,000 cases to investigate potential unregistered settings. Why are we concerned? Some of the most vulnerable children are …

Fisheries Data Mapping: An Update from the MMO Marine Planning Team

In May, we shared an update on fisheries data and mapping. We are pleased to announce that maps based on the approach and data mentioned in the previous post are now available on Explore Marine Plans, for UK and Crown …

2024 Festive accessibility quiz

We hope you enjoy this light-hearted, festive quiz brought to you by Kelly and Samantha.

Heavy vehicle testing and approvals: what we’re working on

I wanted to update you on some of the work we’re doing behind the scenes at DVSA in the heavy vehicle testing and approvals world.  

This year has seen us invest in upgrading our systems, modernising our services and providing a more efficient service for our customers up and down the country.

Prevent and Channel factsheet - 2024 

What is the Prevent programme?  The core mission of Prevent is stopping people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The early intervention support provided by Prevent addresses the personal, ideological, and social factors which make people more susceptible to radicalisation.  …

Accelerating Defence software in 2024: The latest highlights from D2S

Defence Developer Services (D2S) is part of Defence Digital Foundry and provides products that will enable the software development community to accelerate the delivery of software and applications for Defence.  Hello everyone! It’s been a few months since my last …

Bovaer cow feed additive explained

Cymraeg There has been widespread media coverage and discussion on social media about a feed additive called Bovaer being trialled to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows to help combat climate change. Here we answer some of the questions being …

World Soil Day: Unearthing the secrets of soil

Happy World Soil Day! Let's take a moment to appreciate the incredible role soil plays in our lives. Healthy soil is the foundation of sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Below, read about the Environment Agency’s efforts to measure, monitor, and …

Health screening module as popular as ever in its 14th year

‘An excellent experience all round’: screening professionals are full of praise for 5-day Warwick course.

Media factsheet: eVisas

This factsheet was updated 14 April 2025. Overview The Home Office is developing a border and immigration system that is more digital and streamlined. eVisas, a digital proof of immigration status, are a key part of this transformation and will …

Working together to create natural, sustainable solutions to climate change and nature loss 

Nature Returns is an ambitious program across government and the private sector to explore head-on some of the biggest environmental challenges we face. Key participants in the programme include the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.   …

Messium uses space-based nitrogen analysis as an enabling technology for farmers 

Messium, part of the UK Space Agency’s Enabling Technologies Programme (ETP), are using space-based nitrogen analysis as an enabling technology for farmers.

UK NSC consults on offering HPV self-sampling option to under-screened people in cervical screening programme

The UK NSC is consulting on whether to offer an HPV self-sampling option to people who rarely or never attend their cervical screening appointments.

Making the most of design histories 

At the Department for Education (DfE), all designers working on service teams are required to work ‘in the open’. One way we do this is by sharing our design thinking through design histories.  Design history posts are blogs that record …

How we monitor invasive mosquitoes and stop them spreading in the UK

As we release data showing a significant rise in travel-related infections like dengue and malaria, we speak to Colin Johnston, Senior Medical Entomologist at UKHSA, about his team’s work on invasive mosquito surveillance. Read on to find out how we …

What is bird flu and how are we protecting people against it in the UK?

This blog post was reviewed and updated in January 2025. Avian influenza (bird flu) is an infectious disease that affects birds, caused by the influenza A virus. Birds are the hosts for a variety of influenza virus subtypes, particularly waterfowl …

Meet the GSE award winners

Interview with Stacey Rothwell, Innovation award winner At the GSE Conference, we celebrated excellence in science and engineering by recognising outstanding contributions across government. There were several award categories, with eight key awards in total. We sat down with our …

GOV.UK Forms through the ages

As GOV.UK Forms moves into public beta, find out what we’ve done so far, what we’re doing next and how you can get involved and start building your own forms on the platform.

Response to Centre for Cities report

There has been widespread media reporting following the publication of a Centre for Cities report focusing on the government’s housing targets. This government is clear it will deliver 1.5 million homes over this Parliament and fix the housing crisis, but …

Digital Planning: applying digital principles and innovation to transform England’s planning system 

The Digital Planning programme in MHCLG is transforming the future of planning. Find out how standardised data, innovation, collaboration and enhanced use of digital tools are reshaping England's planning system to make it more efficient and inclusive.

UK NSC received 26 new submissions in response to 2024 call for topics

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) received 26 proposals in response to its 2024 annual open call for topics.

Following in my family's forestry footsteps

Ian Everard is a Field Manager in the Yorkshire and North East team and has been in forestry for 43 years. Ian talks about his journey into forestry, what inspired him and why it’s been such a rewarding experience.

Updating design skills in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework

How and why heads of design across government came together to update the design skills in the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

Working together for Nature Recovery in Greater Manchester  

The launch of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has been a major achievement this year – this world-leading initiative means that for the first time, development must leave nature measurably improved. I was lucky enough to visit Greater Manchester to speak …

DHSC Hospital Fault Reporting Beta Assessment

Read the beta report for the Hospital Fault Reporting App assessment from DHSC. This report contains the original beta assessment report from 01 September 2022 as well as the reassessed service standard points

Radical action to speed up removal of unsafe cladding announced

There has been widespread coverage following the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government’s publication of the Remediation Acceleration Plan today (2 December 2024) This was picked up in print and online by the BBC, FT, I, Guardian, Mirror, LBC, …

Shared Lives: mutually assured support

Shared Lives is a community-based service offering accommodation and support to adults with learning disabilities and/or other social care needs. Find out more...

My experience of the risk protection arrangement (RPA) claims process when our school flooded.

Catherine Morley is the Headteacher at Theale Church of England Primary School in Reading, West Berkshire. In this blog post, Catherine shares her experience of the RPA support her school received when an incident with the sprinkler suppression system resulted in severe water damage to her school.

Diagnostic excellence in action: APHA’s response to high pathogenicity avian influenza threats in cattle

In response to a bird flu infection in cattle in the United States, APHA was assigned to provide expert advice and conduct urgent diagnostic investigations to evaluate the potential threat to UK cattle populations.

Five surprising career paths you can unlock with a T Level

T Levels are a post 16 education option alternative to A levels that include vocational study and the opportunity to get experience with employers through placements in industry. Here we show you some surprising career paths you can unlock with a T level qualification.

Focus Five – a high impact, low-cost response to disadvantage 

Phil Stock, who is also Director of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Research School based at Greenshaw, tells us about his schools’ approach to supporting its most disadvantaged pupils through pupil premium. 

How we’re bringing new ideas into our sustainability alliance

This is an AI image generated by Dalle / ChatGPT. Chris Howes reflects on a recent gathering of Government Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA) members that included the latest recruits to what is becoming a fast-growing forum. It was my pleasure …

Local Government Policy Statement

Council Tax Following the publication of the Local Government Policy Statement for 2025-2026, there has been speculative media coverage that councils will be able to increase council tax above the 5% threshold. The government is committed to keeping taxes on …

Regulatory EDM 2024 Bathing Season storm overflow data analysed 

The Environment Agency has analysed Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) data on storm overflows associated with bathing waters across England for 2024.   This regulatory data, bolstered as 100% of storm overflows are now fitted with event duration monitors, is a vital …

Small but mighty! Nature recovery seed corn projects 2024 

The government is committed to nature recovery and Natural England (NE) is working with partners to grow a national Nature Recovery Network (NRN). This growing network of enhanced, better-connected wildlife-rich places supports biodiversity and species recovery. It will also enhance climate …