GOV.UK blogs

Michael's Journey: From OSG to Account Manager in the Prison Service (Part one)

Michael has been with the Prison Service for 21 years, beginning as an operational support grade (OSG) at HMP Rochester. He progressed through various roles, including prison officer, supervising officer, and custodial manager, before moving to HMPPS headquarters as an account manager for the Prison Performance Support Programme. Michael now helps drive improvements across some of the most challenging prison sites.

Being there: How we conduct verification visits 

The Trade Remedies Authority was established as a non-department public body of the Department for Business and Trade in 2021 and therefore well-placed to quickly design processes and procedures that were “pandemic proof”. These included the use of remote verification. …

Coverage following Government crackdown on single-use vapes

Today we are looking at coverage of our announcement that a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes in England is to come into force on 1 June 2025.

Deputy Prime Minister promises relationship ‘reset’ with councils

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has today (24 October) vowed to forge a new relationship based on honesty and respect between central and local government, helping drive economic growth and improve lives. Speaking at the Local Government Association (LGA)’s annual …

Reclaiming Narratives: Black History Month - Insights from Community Payback Supervisor Victoria's 19-Year Career 

In line with this year’s Black History Month theme of ‘reclaiming narratives’, we’re highlighting personal stories and career journeys to illustrate the varied experiences of Probation Service colleagues. We spoke to Victoria, a Community Payback supervisor, about what this year’s …

Enabling Technologies Programme: Sensors & Comms

Learn about several cutting-edge UK projects in satellite sensors and communications, funded by the UK Space Agency.

Reporting on the Future Homes Standard and solar panels

There has been some reporting this week on the Future Homes Standard and solar panels. We are clear we want solar panels on as many new homes as possible and the suggestion that there are plans to water down the rules on low-carbon …

TechTrack: Transforming lives through apprenticeships 

The TechTrack Apprenticeship programme was launched at the end of July. Find out more about this important initiative and how these apprenticeships can assist the ambition for a modern digital government.

Celebrating 10 remarkable years of APHA

This month is a momentous occasion as we commemorate 10 Years since APHA was established in its current form. 

Early Talent at OPSS: The OPSS Regulatory Leaders Graduate Scheme (RLGS)

Our commitment extends to nurturing talent from the very start of their careers through a variety of specialised development programs.

Hear from Emily about her experience of joining the OPSS Regulatory Leaders Graduate Scheme (RLGS) scheme.

To the ReSCUE: Understanding flight heights for seabird conservation and offshore wind expansion

By Eddie Cole, ReSCUE Project Manager; Andrew Harwood, Senior Marine Ornithologist and ReSCUE Technical Lead; Lucy Hawken, Project Support Officer Reducing Seabird Collisions Using Evidence (ReSCUE) is a multi-year, multi-partner project led by Natural England, funded through The Crown Estate’s …

Ocean Country Partnership Programme in Sri Lanka - Marine Spatial Planning, Marine Biodiversity, and Sustainable Seafood. 

Authors: Lois Duff, Hannah Lawson A team from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) travelled to Sri Lanka in July 2024 to build on the support offered through the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP).   …

What we mean when we say “digital identity and attributes”

A “digital identity” is just a way to prove who you are, things about you and things you might be eligible for. Individual pieces of information about you, that together make up your identity, are what we call “attributes”.

The UK digital identity and attributes trust framework: clear rules that services can follow

The trust framework is a document of rules for creating a good digital identity and attributes service. It sets the minimum quality standard the government expects to see from a reliable, secure and trustworthy service. 

A way to prove who you are that is fit for the UK's digital economy

At DSIT, we're making it easier for people to prove who they are and prove things about themselves across the whole of the UK economy.

What you can use a digital identity for today

We think digital identity services are a great way to prove who you are and things about you, but no one sets up a digital identity for the sake of it. A digital identity is only useful when you use it to do something.

Using standards, governance and legislation to build trust

At the core of what we’re doing is trying to build trust. We’re doing that through a framework of standards, governance, and legislation that helps people and businesses know what a good digital identity service looks like.

The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes: Building trust through governance and oversight 

In this blogpost, we’ll be talking a bit about the role of the Office for Identities and Attributes (OfDIA), which will oversee the governance of the UK's digital identity market.   Evolving our support for the digital identity market  We are …

The Nolan Principles - keeping the public front of mind

To mark 30 years of the Committee’s work, Prof. Mark Philp, Chair of CSPL’s Research Advisory Board, blogs on the continuing importance of the Nolan Principles in setting out the understanding between those in public office and the public. This blog is based on a longer academic paper.

Monitoring antimicrobial resistance in the environment

Microorganisms drive many of the biogeochemical processes that make the Earth habitable for people. These processes involve the movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the Earth's crust. However, some microorganisms can cause …

Shaun the Sheep: a visit to Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve

By Stephanie Wilson, Reserve Manager, Thames Solent Team at Natural England Here at Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve (NNR), conservation grazing is one of many management tools we use to look after the site. You could argue having a conservation …

Prudence, not popularity, is the key to UK NSC’s work, says Chris

Our latest UK NSC member profile focuses on Professor Chris Hyde.

Small and Micro Food Business Operator Tracking Survey: Wave 4 Findings

Cymraeg Today, we published wave 4 of the small and micro FBO (food business operator) tracking survey. The survey takes place every other year and tracks small and micro FBOs' views on a variety of topics, including trust in the …

Change NHS and the role of mental health social work

This week, the Department of Health and Social Care, in partnership with NHS England, launched the Change NHS campaign. This is the beginning of an ongoing conversation with the public as, together, our government and healthcare leaders seek the widest range of views possible to shape a new 10-Year Health Plan for England.

Funding Service: defining data standards for grant teams

Read about the work of MHCLG’s Funding Service to simplify the funding landscape by defining data standards for grant teams.

A new search engine for GOV.UK

We’ve launched a new site search engine for GOV.UK. Read about how it’s making it easier for users to find what they need.

Jacqui McIntosh talks to IfATE about representation in hair and beauty apprenticeships

This year, British Beauty Week coincides with Black History Month. The 2024 British Beauty Week theme is “a beauty industry that looks like you”, which highlights the importance of representation and inclusion in the beauty industry. IfATE is committed to …

The future of fish: Impacts of climate change on fish species diversity across marine food webs

Climate change is altering the distribution of many marine fish species, with widespread impacts on biodiversity, with the potential to jeopardise world food security. Most studies to date focus on how commercially exploited fish species will be affected by climate …

Employment Rights Bill is “pro-growth, pro-business and pro-worker”

The Employment Rights Bill returned to the House of Commons for its second reading yesterday (Monday 21 October). It continues to attract significant media attention, as shown by today’s front pages, which all lead on the bill’s impact assessment published …

The scale and cost of requisitions

A detailed look at the scale and cost of requisitions – and how we can work together to minimise the number raised.

Discover your local river and contribute to citizen science!

September was a fantastic month for bringing communities and stakeholders together in celebration of our rivers. There were events across the country as part of World Rivers Day on 22 September, seasonal mass monitoring of our rivers through national citizen …

Office for National Statistics: Statistics for the Public Good

To build public trust in our use of their data for statistics, everyone should know how their data is sourced, used, and how it’s kept safe.

How we’re protecting and enhancing biodiversity at DVLA

Our Sustainability and Environment Manager, Harry Harding, provides an update on how DVLA is promoting and protecting biodiversity across the agency.

My experience on the commissioning graduate programme at Sellafield Ltd

Anouschka,, one of our commissioning engineer graduates, tells us about her experience as a graduate at Sellafield Ltd.

Change NHS: your chance to make social care part of the conversation

This week, the Department of Health and Social Care, in partnership with NHS England, launches the biggest national conversation about the state of the NHS in its 76-year history. Social care voices invited!

New rules for fair milk contracts: supporting dairy producers 

The Fair Dealings Obligations (Milk) Regulations (FDOM24) set out how milk purchase contracts must operate. FDOM24 is designed to make these contracts fairer and more transparent across the dairy industry. In this guest post, Richard Thompson, the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) shares an overview of his role and what to look for in your contact.

How GDS is supporting women in STEM

The Government Digital Service recently hosted three students from Next Tech Girls, a social enterprise that works with girls in education who are interested in a career in tech.

Navigating trade sanctions with guidance

At the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI), we recognise that trade can be a complex area, particularly when it comes to understanding and complying with trade sanctions.  Our goal is to equip UK businesses with up-to-date knowledge that enables …

RPC welcomes new Minister, Justin Madders MP, to committee meeting

The RPC was pleased to welcome Justin Madders MP, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), to a recent meeting.

Measuring the geospatial ecosystem: innovation to quantify complexity

Karina Matjuhhina, Fast Stream Analyst, explores the UK's geospatial market, highlighting its economic, employment and investment impact.  Geospatial data describes where places, objects and people are in any given location. These data can be static such as the address of …