GOV.UK blogs

How we monitor flu and other respiratory viruses each winter

As we approach another winter season, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is ramping up its comprehensive surveillance systems to monitor flu and other seasonal respiratory viruses. Here's an overview of how we're working to keep the nation informed and protected. …

Scalability Challenges in Privacy-Preserving Federated Learning

Hear from some of the winners of the UK-US PETs Prize Challenges on scalability challenges and solutions in privacy-preserving federated learning.

My experience of using Get help buying for schools to buy multi-functional devices and more

Jacqui Whiting is a Procurement and Contracts Manager at Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi-Academy Company (MAC), a family of 17 schools across Warwickshire and Worcestershire.  Jacqui has used Get help buying for schools to buy multi-functional devices, grounds maintenance and catering.

Marburg virus disease: what you need to know

This blog post was reviewed and updated in January 2025. Marburg virus belongs to the filovirus family, along with Ebola. It can cause Marburg virus disease, a haemorrhagic fever, which can damage blood vessels and cause bleeding, and its presentation …

5 tips for managing your woodland this autumn

MacBradan Bones, Nature Recovery Advisor at the Forestry Commission, shares five tips on managing your woodland this autumn.

Defra group digital and data transformation strategy: how we’re making our services better

David Caldwell, Defra’s Deputy Director for Digital Transformation, provides an update on the work underway to transform digital services in Defra. It has been a while since we last shared what we’re doing to transform our services. I took up …

How peatland partnerships are transforming and restoring degrading landscapes into healthy, vibrant peatlands

Peatland partnerships are transforming degrading landscapes into healthy, vibrant peatlands across England. In this post, Sam Joyce, from the Peatland Restoration team at Defra, shares more about the collaborative work he's seen taking place.

RPA and National Customer Service Week

This year’s National Customer Service Week runs from 7 to 11 October 2024 and is designed to raise awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays. One of the ways RPA gathers feedback on our approach to customer service …

Enabling Technologies Programme: Aiding Exploration 

An overview of the ways that the UK Space Agency funds national efforts to drive innovation in space exploration and human space activity through the Enabling Technologies Programme (ETP).

Effective communication for researchers: how to listen, observe and speak for impact

At HMRC, we hold an annual learning and development event - ResCon - to discuss trending user research topics and learn new skills. At our last event, experts in body language, persuasion, negotiation and marketing advised us on effective communication, a vital skill for all researchers.

Using the 5th edition of the UK Forestry Standard in England

The 5th edition of the UK Forestry Standard came into full effect on 1 October 2024. Find out what this means for woodland managers.

User needs and user biases: telling them apart

This post discusses the difference between user needs and user biases, the consequences user biases can have, and the strategies and techniques the Common Tools as a Service team has implemented in their user research to counteract them.

Is there enough in the tank? Managing our water resources for the future

It’s unlikely that you’d set off on a long car journey without filling up your car, or leave the house for the day without charging your phone. Without adequate preparation, many parts of our everyday lives wouldn’t be possible. So …

Prisoner-facing Services: Design Principles

Extensive in-prison research leads to the first set of design principles for prisoner-facing services. Five years' of prisoner research In 2018, as part of the Launchpad in-cell technology programme, we researched, designed and built the Content Hub platform for prisoners. …

RPA Customer Board visit to Bleak Bank Farm

In the third of a series of blogs about Customer Director Marie Hardeman’s visits to shows, farms and projects, she tells us about her time visiting Bleak Bank Farm with members of RPA’s Customer Board. The Customer Board was created …

Green Libraries Week returns

This October, Green Libraries Week returns to celebrate the work going on in libraries across the UK focused on sustainability, climate change and green action within their communities. During Green Libraries Week from 07 to 13 October, the Green Libraries Partnership is  …

How can being winter ready help all year round?

In our last post about how farmers can get ready for winter we looked at a case study with Tom, a dairy farmer in Cornwall, who had made some major changes to his slurry storage and farm buildings. In this …

A call for feedback on the indicators of species abundance in England

In this post, Clare and Claire, from the Environmental Statistics and Reporting team at Defra, share what the species abundance indicator is, and how you can get in touch to give feedback on the statistic in development. 

Collaboration day - developing a community of learning

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and the Met Office strengthened their long-standing relationship earlier this year by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

To maintain momentum, the UKHO and Met Office arranged a day of collaboration hosted by the Met Office, exploring their shared understanding and learnings on the topic of ‘our people’.

Dame Carol Robinson – pioneering mass spectrometry in biomedical research

British chemist, Professor Dame Carol Robinson (DBE FRS FMedSci) has received the honour of being the first British person to be presented with the European Patent Office (EPO) Lifetime Achievement Award at the European Inventor Awards in Malta.

Annual Statutory Homelessness statistics

This morning, we published our Annual Statutory Homelessness statistics for the financial year 2023-24. It gives a high-level picture of homelessness in England and an analysis of the ways local authorities help prevent homelessness and provide support, including the use …

A day in the life of a Fisheries Enforcement Officer

My name is John Groves, and I am a Fisheries Enforcement Officer (FEO) for the Environment Agency in East Anglia. Today I was out on the Norfolk Broads with a fellow Fisheries Enforcement Officer and the Broads Authority checking anglers’ …

Mitigating sample bias in children's social care

Every piece of user research we do seeks to understand something about the people who use a DfE service or are impacted by a policy. We call that group a ‘population’. When we conduct user research, we need to find …

Fish, Camera, Action: Early adoption of Remote Electronic Monitoring on UK fishing vessels 

Authors: Ross Robertson (Defra), Martin Arris (MMO), Rebecca Skirrow (Cefas) and Thomas Catchpole (Cefas) What is REM and what are our plans?   Remote Electronic Monitoring, or REM for short, is a data collection tool that can be installed on vessels …

Update to the RAAC list

*Updated on 3 October 2024* This fact sheet sets out our position on the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the NHS. RAAC is a lightweight form of precast concrete, frequently used in public sector buildings in the …

Into the woods: fungi season in Streatham Common

For UK Fungus Day 2024, this month's 'Into the woods' blog by Emily Robinson delves into the world of fungi and urban woodland ecology at Streatham Common.

Civil Service Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference

Angela MacDonald, HMRC Deputy CEO and Second Permanent Secretary, talks about how the 6th annual Civil Service Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference, plays a vital role in raising awareness and making a meaningful impact on our mental health.   Angela leads …

Creating an online form to apply for a county parish holding (CPH) number

Senior content designer Alice Wilson writes about how she worked with the Defra Forms team to create a more accessible online version of a PDF form for livestock keepers.

SCS2 Chief Scientific Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Job summary The Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) is the most senior scientist in FCDO. The CSA plays a leading role in enabling the FCDO and the government to harness the power of research, evidence, expertise, and science diplomacy to deliver …

Five of the best Civil Service online learning courses

Government Skills online learning business partner, Gail Charlton picks out five of the best courses available to all civil servants. Gail says: “In the past year alone, civil servants completed around 2 million courses from the hundreds available on the …

Design, delivery, and determinism: reflections on the SDinGov conference 2024 

Back from the recent Service Design in Government 2024 conference in Edinburgh, Dominic, a senior user researcher in MHCLG's Common Tools as a Service team, shares his key takeaways from an event rich with insights on design, delivery, and the use of artificial intelligence.

Bridging gaps – how mediation supports parties in small claims cases 

In our latest blog, Delivery Director Julia Hopkins explains the work our Small Claims Mediation teams, who are supporting people to find a resolution away from the courtroom, saving them the time and stress of coming to court.

Do you want to be a part of the Regulatory Policy Committee?

The RPC is currently recruiting for members. If you believe you have the experience and skills to be a member of the committee and offer comments and insight into the analysis and evidence underpinning regulatory proposals, we would be pleased to consider your application.

What’s next for the Government Office for Technology Transfer?

Blog by Dr Alison Campbell, CEO of GOTT Looking back on the last 2 and a half years that I’ve been leading the organisation, I am really proud of how far GOTT has come and most importantly, the impact we …

Empowering diversity in social care: celebrating Black History Month

As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s important to reflect on the rich history and achievements of black professionals across health and social care. It also gives us time to reflect on the ongoing need to create more inclusive and …

Inside the RPA: Kath Illidge

In a series from the Rural Payments Agency’s customer team, we’re featuring video interviews and blogs from some of the key people whose roles are focussed on delivering and improving the services provided to customers. In the fifth video and blog …

GSE awards 2024 – meet the winners

The inaugural GSE awards were held at the GSE conference at the Science Museum on 18 September. The GSE awards were drawn up by a team of volunteers from across the GSE Profession, under the guidance of the GSE Profession …

Beyond publishing: key actions from our first five plans

Publishing fisheries management plans is just the start. Here are some of the actions we've taken so far for the first five published plans.

Reducing grey squirrel overpopulation: The role of contraceptives in conservation

Managing grey squirrel populations is important to ensure the recovery of our native reds. Find out from APHA’s Sarah Beatham how her team are developing a contraceptive to reduce grey squirrel numbers.

Rabies in Ghana: The silent bites

When clinical symptoms appear, rabies is nearly 100% fatal. To reduce this, the UK government has contributed 15,000 doses of rabies vaccine, along with laboratory equipment and supplies, to the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture through its ODA-funded Animal Health System Strengthening project, part of UKAid.