Upgrading outdated legacy systems in key public services
Departments across government are modernising key public services by replacing outdated technology to make them more secure, resilient and efficient.
Our goal
Most critical public services are no longer dependent on outdated legacy technology, making them more secure and adaptable for the future.
What this means for you
- Data security: your personal information, such as your address or National Insurance number, will be better protected.
- Reliable services: the essential services you rely on, like getting pension payments, will run smoothly and securely without disruption.
Our progress so far
This does not reflect all of the work teams across government are doing to address legacy technology, but shows some of the key priorities across government.
June 2025: the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) agreed plan to modernise priority legacy benefits and pension services
DWP has set out its plans to speed up work to address risks in priority services. The first services to be modernised include Severe Disablement Allowance, Widowed Parent’s Allowance, Widow’s Pension Allowance, Industrial Injuries Payment and Funeral Expenses Payment, meaning a better experience for those who use these services.
September 2025: the Home Office migrated police forces and agencies to the Law Enforcement Data Service (LEDS)
The Home Office started replacing the legacy Police National Computer by piloting a new, secure and scalable central data service for police forces and agencies, including the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This will give officers real-time access to accurate and comprehensive information to make better decisions, work more efficiently and keep communities safer.
What we’re planning to do next
March 2026: address critical legacy systems in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
DEFRA will improve cybersecurity and business resilience by migrating 19 critical legacy applications to the cloud. Two legacy data centres will be decommissioned, key infrastructure contracts will be replaced and stronger business continuity planning will be promoted for the loss of critical IT services.
March 2026: develop Secret Community Cloud for working at secret classification levels
Currently being developed by the Ministry of Defence and supported by the National Security Digital Centre, Secret Community Cloud will offer a secure cloud computing environment to both the national security community and the wider public sector.
December 2026: DWP refactor the Severe Disablement Allowance service
If you use DWP’s Severe Disablement Allowance, you can expect to benefit from a new service that has been fully refactored to be more stable and secure, with all cases migrated and payments made through this new service. This modern codebase will provide a repeatable approach for addressing remaining legacy technical debt and support future service transformation.
April 2030: Home Office fully digitise all life event records for England and Wales
The Home Office will accurately scan and transcribe all birth, stillbirth, death, marriage and civil partnership records, allowing you to request both modern and historic certificates digitally or physically. A secure System of Record will host all digitised life event data, serving as the official electronic register and enabling trusted interactions with other government departments and approved private sector organisations.