Improving customer service through CustomerFirst
This new unit in the Government Digital Service (GDS) will transform critical government services for citizens. It’ll redesign services from end-to-end and develop new systems for contact and casework to improve outcomes for everyone who uses them.
Our goal
Transform up to 4 priority public services to improve them for citizens by March 2028. We’ll take a radical approach to redesign customer contact and casework away from the constraints of legacy systems. This includes making better use of AI and other technologies and will save public money.
What this means for you
Whether this initiative applies depends on the service and where it’s available – England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, or across the UK.
As a user of public services, you can expect to see changes. The redesigned services will offer:
- Improved customer service: services will be easier to use online at the touch of a button, rather than waiting on hold on the phone, filling out paper forms or re-entering the same information. When you do need more help, you’ll be able to get it quickly and easily, including through AI-enabled support.
- Increased trust: you’ll have greater confidence that the advice and service you receive will be right first time.
- Savings for taxpayers: more efficient services that make greater use of automation and AI will be cheaper to run.
If you work in the public sector, you’ll benefit from:
- Shared learning: you’ll have access to shared lessons and products from teams tackling similar challenges to you from the public and private sector.
- Productivity gains and user focus: using shared learnings and common products will help you spend less time reinventing the wheel so you’ll have more time to focus on users.
Our progress so far
January 2026: started work on the first service
CustomerFirst, its first project and chair were announced. Expert teams have started to identify the biggest pain points and simplify the process of the first initiative, so it won’t be too long before you experience the first benefits.
What we’re planning to do next
March 2026: publish an update on our approach for the next 2 years
GDS will publish an update on CustomerFirst and its work programme. This will show you how we’re bringing together experts from the private and public sector to transform up to 4 priority services.
March 2028: transform up to 4 public services
You’ll experience better customer service across up to 4 public services. CustomerFirst will demonstrate how dedicated, expert teams can quickly develop and deliver improvements to customer service while saving taxpayer money.
More information
You can read more about CustomerFirst at customerfirst.campaign.gov.uk.
For more information, contact:
CustomerFirst Unit
Government Digital Service
customer.first@dsit.gov.uk