Government Digital Service

It may nearly be Friday, but Services Week is far from over!! We have had some brilliant sessions and it's not too late for you to take part- we have 14 sessions taking place tomorrow which you can look through over at our session schedule: https://lnkd.in/e4vG7SyY We also have the Youtube channel with session recordings available for you to take a look at if you missed any earlier this week: https://lnkd.in/eg5WJpc6    Tomorrow we have our closing session which you won’t want to miss. Hear from our very own Leanne Cummings (Director Products and Services) and Ash Spurr (Lead Interaction Designer, GOV.UK App) as they discuss successes of the week and ways we are planning to maintain the momentum of Services Week throughout the year. You can sign up to this session on Eventbrite: https://lnkd.in/ea4CunXe

🌟 The GOV.UK app turns 1 today 🌟 The GOV.UK app is helping hundreds of thousands of people navigate government information and services, using everyday language and at their fingertips, at any time and any place. Simple, faster and more convenient. You can tailor your homepage, choosing what matters to you most while keeping previous searches so you don’t have to start from scratch. With GOV.UK Chat, you’ll get instant answers to everyday questions, getting clear, accurate responses from GOV.UK guidance, rather than scouring multiple pages. People are using it to make their lives, and interactions with government, easier. As it turns one today, we wanted to hear how people use the app, and how it helps them in their day-to-day lives. Click through to hear from users from the app. Why don’t you try it today? Download it at: GOV.UK/app Read the about the work to get us here in our blog post: 👇 https://lnkd.in/e8Khe_iV

Services Week is back next week! Now in its eighth year, this yearly event is hosted by the Government Digital and Data community, bringing people from different areas across the public sector together to share best practice and learn from one another, all with the aim of improving public services. Taking place 29 June to 3 July, this year's theme for Services week is ‘Personalising Public Services’. We have 80+ brilliant sessions in store for you from some great teams across the public sector, and you can take a look through them in our Session Schedule here 👇 https://lnkd.in/gcjMnyzd We have some great sessions being led by teams in GDS 👇

🚨 Calling all public sector engineers 🚨 Today we have launched the Voice of the Engineer survey - an opportunity for software engineers, developers, infrastructure engineers, and technical specialists working across the UK public sector to share what their working experience is really like.  It doesn’t matter whether you are a permanent civil servant, a contractor, or agency staff, if you build, code, or engineer solutions for government, this survey is for you. It takes around 15 minutes, and the findings will directly shape how we support and develop the engineering community across government. 👉 Take the survey here: https://lnkd.in/eg_AMNPe Open until Wednesday 15 July. Please share with engineers in your networks – the more voices we hear, the stronger the picture we can build.  #GovTech #PublicSectorEngineering #VoiceOfTheEngineer #GovernmentDigitalService 

⭐ 11 Policy roles are live! ⭐ Find out more and apply below 👇

Earlier this year, GDS convened the Responsible AI Advisory Panel to bring together expertise from across the public sector, industry, academia and civil society. Its role is to provide independent advice and constructive challenge as government explores how to adopt AI safely and effectively.   In its first few months, the panel has already seen: 👉 strong ambition to use AI to improve public services 👉 clear opportunities to increase accessibility and reduce waiting times 👉 real challenges around testing, evaluation and maintaining public trust   The panel is working as a pilot — exploring what an external advisory function can most usefully provide, from input into individual AI projects to broader strategic advice on issues like transparency and procurement.   It is already engaging with live programmes across government, helping to ensure that considerations like fairness, effectiveness and trust are built in from the outset. This is about learning quickly, sharing insight and helping shape a responsible approach to AI across the public sector.   Read the full update from the panel: https://lnkd.in/eKPaabmb #GDS #GovernmentAI

When we published the roadmap for a modern digital government earlier this year, we were clear about what we were trying to fix. "For the homeowner, getting planning permission... Life is busy, and our role as a government should be to carry the burden in these moments, not add to it.” - The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Two AI tools are now being deployed to transform England's planning system: 👉 Extract — built by the government's own Incubator for Artificial Intelligence — is now available to every local planning authority in England. It converts decades of paper planning records into usable digital data in minutes, saving an estimated 250,000 officer hours a year.  👉 Augmented Planning Decisions (APD) — developed with Google DeepMind, Google Cloud and Faculty — is in early testing with Barnet, Camden and Dorset councils. It aims to halve the time it takes to process householder planning applications, from 8 weeks to 4. This is what "harnessing AI for the public good" means in practice: removing admin from professionals' desks so they can focus on the complex, skilled decisions that communities depend on. Human oversight remains at the centre — every recommendation reviewed and approved by a qualified planning officer. Read the full announcement: 👉 https://lnkd.in/e-fxexH7 The roadmap commitment it delivers on: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDZfgt2a The work behind Extract: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBM8qEKJ

🌟GDS Local is hiring! 🌟 If you're passionate about improving digital services for local government, we're hiring in product, design and user research. You’ll be working with councils across the UK to tackle shared challenges, improve services, and support the adoption of digital ways of working. 👉 Help shape services that millions rely on 👉 Collaborate with local authorities and partners 👉 Be part of a supportive, mission-driven team Search "Government Digital Service" on Civil Service Jobs to find the roles, with closing dates over the next few weeks. https://lnkd.in/gJs9rSh #GDS #ProductJobs #UCDJobs #DesignJobs 

Services Week 2026 is almost here! From 29 June to 3 July, we’ll be showcasing the fantastic work being delivered across the UK public sector to improve lives for citizens. It’s not too late for you to get your sessions added to the agenda for the week. You have one week left to fill out this session proposal survey 👉 https://lnkd.in/dCbGHQ4P We can’t wait to see what great sessions you all have in store! If you’re a digital or data professional looking to collaborate with fellow civil servants and explore how tech-powered services and stronger community connections can drive change, this is a great opportunity for you. Join us in our opening session to launch the week by registering here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eyRN3g32 Hear from Emran Mian (Permanent Secretary, DSIT) along with GDS director generals and more!

What have we learned from the Prime Minister’s AI Exemplars programme — and what comes next?   Over the past year, teams across government have been testing how AI can improve public services, from supporting frontline decision-making to increasing productivity.   The AI Exemplars programme has shown that: departments can successfully pilot AI in real-world settings collaboration across government helps surface shared challenges central support is most effective when it tackles common barriers   It has also highlighted what needs to change.   Scaling AI across public services remains challenging, with common issues around data readiness, commercial constraints and duplication of effort.   That’s why we are shifting our approach.   Building on these lessons, government is now focusing on a smaller number of large, transformational AI programmes, delivered in close partnership with departments, alongside targeted action to remove system-wide barriers to adoption.   The Exemplars programme has provided the evidence base for this next phase.   Read more about what we’ve learned and how this is shaping the future of AI in government: https://lnkd.in/ecXZyDGp #DigitalGovernment #GDS #AIExemplars