The first version of the GOV.UK App will be available to download
on smartphones today, putting public services in people's pocket
to save them from wasting time on life admin.
It marks an overhaul to the experience of using the GOV.UK
website, which is visited by 88 million times every month by
people completing essential daily tasks, to bring public services
more in line with what people are used to when they bank or shop
from their phones.
Launching first in “public beta”, meaning the technology is still
being worked on extensively, today's release will allow the
public to build the app around their personal circumstances, life
events and services.
People will be able to choose which topics to prioritise on their
home page, based on which government services are most important
to them, whether it's ‘care', ‘travel' or ‘business'. A home page
will then let people access these services right away, rather
than having to scour the internet each time, so they can get
information, request support or change their details with the
right government service with ease.
Over time, new tools and functionality will be added. Later this
year, the government's generative AI chatbot – GOV.UK Chat –
will be added for everyone to use. It will help people get
answers to niche questions more quickly, where the details
important to them may be buried in the 700,000-page website, with
it instead drawing the most relevant information within seconds –
whether it's how to set up a specific type of business, what's
needed to apply for a passport, or what support new parents can
access.
Following the addition of GOV.UK Chat, work will start to make
sure different government benefits, such as childcare allowances,
can be dealt with seamlessly through the app. As well as making
it easier for people to apply for support they're eligible for,
the move will also aim to tackle fraud, which could save the
government millions.
Today's launch follows the digital blueprint for
government which includes a number of tools to make it
much easier for people and businesses to interact with the
government, saving time and transforming the public services
underpinning our Plan for Change. Later
this year, the UK government will also launch GOV.UK Wallet which
will include a pilot digital driving licence, which Brits will be
able to easily use from their phone to prove their age when
buying age restricted items online and in person.
Technology secretary said:
Our new GOV.UK App shows for the first time how this government
is overhauling taxpayer-funded services as we deliver on our Plan
for Change. By putting public services in your pocket, we will do
away with clunky paper forms and hours spent on hold, so you can
immediately get the information you need and continue on with the
rest of your day.
This release of the GOV.UK App is just the start. Soon, you will
be able to use it to ask GOV.UK Chat any question you like about
government services, and get a reliable answer immediately. You
will then get personal notifications, reminding you when your MOT
is due or whether you need to register to vote, and then you will
be able to closely track your childcare credits just as you do
your bank account.
People using the GOV.UK App will get the same experience every
time they open the app in a way that is tailored to them, enabled
by GOV.UK One Login. This technology will ultimately remove the
need for several passwords to access different government
services and users will be able to use facial ID to log in.
To do this, the GOV.UK App considered major life events relevant
to most of the population – such as ‘money and tax', ‘studying
and training' and ‘retirement'. Some life events also cover
topics where people might interact more with public services,
such as ‘parenting', ‘benefits' and ‘care'.
Notes to editors
The GOV.UK App public beta will be available to download from 1
July in the Apple App store and Google marketplace.
In January, the GOV.UK App was announced alongside
the GOV.UK Wallet. The latter
will carry a digital version of all government issued documents –
starting with a Veterans' Card this autumn, followed by a pilot
of a digital drivers' licence later this year. For the first
release, the GOV.UK Wallet will be separate from the GOV.UK App.
Over time the Wallet will also integrate with the GOV.UK App.
The homepage of GOV.UK App can feature any combination of the
below 11 topics:
- benefits
- business
- care
- driving and transport
- employment
- health and disability
- money and tax
- parenting and guardianship
- retirement
- studying and training
- travel
