Simplifying spending and approval processes to deliver new and improved services faster
The Government Digital Service (GDS), Government Commercial Function (GCF), Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and Grants Management Function (GMF) are transforming how government manages public money by improving commercial, grants and spending approval processes.
Our goal
Government spending, from contracts to grants, is managed through connected, transparent and data-driven systems, providing a clear view of all spending to deliver value for money.
What this means for you
This initiative applies to central government only.
- Less time spent on admin and more time spent on users: public sector staff will be able to process requests, applications and support cases more quickly, meaning that they can dedicate more time to the core delivery of services.
- Improved experience for suppliers: if you supply services to government or receive public grant funding, you’ll find interacting with government much easier thanks to simple, intuitive and transparent processes.
- Enhanced strategic perspective: if you work in the public sector, better platforms, automated tools and connected data will give you more time to focus on the work that matters most, while having all spending data in one place will make it easier to see the full impact of your work.
Our progress so far
January 2025: rolled out new ‘Get approval to spend’ service across digital spend
The service provides a simpler, faster and digital-first way for civil servants to get approval for digital and technology spending (compared to the back and forth of email traffic that had preceded it). Initial roll out onboarded 110 organisations and 1,500 government officials, freeing up their time to focus on delivering for you.
July 2025: built the new Central Digital Platform to manage procurement
GCF created the Central Digital Platform for publishing, managing and analysing procurement. This will make buying new services and tools much more accessible and transparent, supporting improved procurement practices and better service delivery.
August 2025: ran pilot of AI quality assurance tool
The GCF, CCS and GMF designed and piloted a new tool that uses AI to reduce risk and improve efficiency when checking commercial project documents. This allowed them to understand the risks and feasibility of using this technology.
October 2025: expanded ‘Get approval to spend’ digital service to advertising, marketing and communications spend
Following the success of the first rollout, GDS has expanded the ‘Get approval to spend’ service. As well as digital and technology spending, this means civil servants can now use the service to request spend approval for advertising, marketing and communications activity.
November 2025: develop the Grants Lifecycle Utility
The GMF developed a simple and accessible way for grant makers to manage grants. This helps to reduce risk, speeds up work and simplifies processes by maintaining full visibility from beginning to end.
What we’re planning to do next
March 2026: create a single place to store, find and provide supplier information
GCF is taking a ‘tell us once’ approach to managing commercial supplier information. This will mean that suppliers are no longer asked for information they have already shared, and teams can access what they need instantly.
March 2026: create a new engagement platform for commercial and grant funding
The GCF and GMF will create a new prototype platform for commercial and grant funding professionals to work together more closely. This will make it easier to share knowledge and tools.
April 2026: publish machine-readable data about government spending
GCF will start publishing consistent, structured data about procurement. This will allow us to use technology to analyse, reuse and share information about what government is buying, enabling a more strategic approach that delivers better value for money.
December 2026: transform the digital assurance journey across all other spend controls
GDS, working with HM Treasury and other central functions, will roll out the service across all spending activities to reform the controls landscape and transform the digital assurance journey. This will mean any civil servant can get approval for their spending through a single, accessible service, with no lengthy hold-ups that distract from the work that matters most.
More information
For more information about our work on grants, contact:
Grants Management Function
Cabinet Office
grants-management-function@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
For more information about our work on commercial and procurement, contact:
Government Commercial Function
Cabinet Office
gcg.services@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
For more information about the ‘Get approval to spend’ service, contact:
Cabinet Office
gats@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk
You can also access the ‘Get approval to spend’ service.