Strengthen and extend our digital and data public infrastructure
We’re building a safe and secure digital public infrastructure that provides a platform for teams across the public sector to drive growth and innovation.
As outlined in the State of digital government review, much of government still runs on outdated technology that is expensive to maintain, hard to update and secure and often inaccessible to users. Inconsistent data foundations mean services can be fragmented and harder to use, especially for people who rely on joined-up support. In local government, limited digital resourcing and reliance on a small number of suppliers make it harder for local authorities to modernise services, adopt cloud technologies and ensure accessible, high-quality digital experiences for all users.
Without modern systems, trusted data and clear oversight, we risk duplicating effort, creating fragmented services and responding too slowly to emerging threats.
To change this, we’re making our digital and data estate more visible by having more automated asset management information processes and putting stronger controls in place. By building secure infrastructure, trusted data and modern technology, we can not only support the safe use of AI and unlock growth across the economy – but also make sure critical public services stay reliable, accessible and resilient when people need them most.
Firmer foundations
Faster growth
Find out more about the work we’re delivering below.
Understanding our digital systems to improve them
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is creating a single view of government’s entire technology and data estate and establishing stronger ownership and direction. This will give teams across government the information and guidance they need to set stronger strategies, drive change and respond to emergencies.
Keeping public services safe and resilient through joined-up standards and approaches
GDS and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are strengthening cyber resilience across government and local authorities by setting standards, increasing accountability and joining up approaches to manage risks.
Upgrading outdated legacy systems in key public services
Departments across government are modernising key public services by replacing outdated technology to make them more secure, resilient and efficient.
Establishing the frameworks for secure, ethical data use
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is putting the right foundations in place so the public sector can use data to deliver better services for users. Through new principles, guidance and legislation, we’ll make sure data is used to its full potential, safely and ethically.
Building the platforms to share and use data effectively
Government is making it easier to share and use public sector data and technology safely. By building new infrastructure like the National Data Library (NDL) and amplifying departments’ work, we’ll help researchers, businesses and the public sector drive growth and improve delivery.
Creating common systems and platforms for all of government to use
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is creating secure, reusable systems that the whole of government can use to build strong and sustainable digital services. We’re introducing clear guidance so service teams can focus on solving real problems for users, without worrying about the tools or platforms they will need.
