Testing a Different Way to Improve Complex Public Services
The UK government’s CustomerFirst unit is piloting a "NewCo" approach to tackle the chronic fragmentation of authority in complex public services. By carving out bounded, multidisciplinary teams, the model shifts focus from redesigning solutions to testing the constraints that shape user outcomes. The initiative aligns with the Service Standard and the 2025 Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, aiming to deliver whole‑service improvements rather than isolated fixes. Over the next two years, CustomerFirst will apply this method across agencies such as the DVLA and share findings publicly.
GDS Local: Building the Foundations for Digital Collaboration
Britain’s Government Digital Service (GDS) Local released a new Local Government Architecture Model, establishing a shared technology reference for councils. It has conducted five workshops, monthly webinars averaging 60 attendees, and is exploring a free architecture‑mapping tool. GDS also piloted...
CustomerFirst: How We’re Transforming Services Together
The UK Government Digital Service has launched CustomerFirst, a two‑year pilot unit that applies a NewCo semi‑autonomous model to overhaul public services. Partnering with up to four agencies—including an initial collaboration with the DVLA and a co‑chair from Octopus Energy—the...
How GDS and DWP Worked Together to Improve GOV.UK One Login
GOV.UK One Login now serves over 16.6 million users across 220 services, but traditional identity checks left many unable to access them. In February 2026 the Government Digital Service and the Department for Work and Pensions introduced Knowledge‑Based Verification questions using DWP...