6994posts
-
What does Covid Plan B mean for schools, colleges, universities and early years?
Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced the implementation of Plan B of the COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan, as a result of increasing pressure on the NHS. We have already increased safety measures across education settings and we set these measure out in a previous post on 28 November …
-
Podcast: New jobs at Companies House
Colleagues from our People Transformation and Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorates discuss current job opportunities and what it’s like to work for Companies House.
-
Start preparing for your Rural Payments applications and claims
In February 2022 applications will open for new Countryside Stewardship agreements, and from March 2022 you will be able to apply for Basic Payment Scheme 2022 and to submit Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship revenue claims. To make sure that …
-
COVID-19 vaccination programme: development, distribution, data
The COVID-19 vaccination programme relies on many teams, individuals and organisations, from the scientists who developed the vaccines through to the volunteers who have signed up to support the programme and the NHS staff on the front line. The success …
-
Teenagers and testing fatigue, 4 top tips to keep your students testing
Keeping students engaged in regular COVID-19 testing can be challenging. We invited schools and colleges with high numbers of students testing and reporting results to share their ideas on how to keep students testing.
-
Top 10 kitchen hygiene hacks for students
If you feel you need to up your food hygiene game, then follow these hacks and avoid food poisoning when at university.
-
Improving national infrastructure planning, one sprint at a time!
Head of operations Simone Wilding explains why passing the government service standard is good news for the Inspectorate’s applications service, and shares early previews of it in action
-
Investigating Omicron: what UKHSA is doing now
Last month, a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 infection named Omicron was identified and countries around the world are taking action to identify cases and outbreaks and control the spread while we learn more. All viruses naturally …
-
Guest post: how APIs kept our country running when everything stopped
Melissa van der Hecht, a Field CTO at Kong, talks about how working alongside our Integration team, API-driven outcomes have made a real difference for UK citizens.
-
Curriculum: keeping it simple
Despite the challenges of the last two years, staff are reviewing and renewing their curriculums. Subject leaders are working closely with teachers to shape a clear journey of the knowledge they want pupils to know.
-
GDS is 10: we’re ready for our next chapter
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is turning 10. Watch as team members share - in 10 seconds or less - what excites them most about what’s coming next.
-
How DfE helped learners access education. Period.
When the government launched a state scheme providing free period products in English schools and colleges, it not only helped tackle period poverty, but broke the stigma and raised awareness about menstruation. In January 2020, the Department for Education launched a …
-
Join us to co-create the future
Meet some of the team members who are working to make it simpler, faster and fairer to find and apply for government grants.
-
Enabling trustworthy innovation by assuring AI systems
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers huge potential to transform our society and economy. It has been harnessed to combat the pandemic; from supporting the discovery of new therapies and rapid virus detection methods, to powering dashboards that help clinicians make treatment …
-
Broadwater Brook urban chalk stream restoration
In today’s blog we look at how the Environment Agency helped to restore 1km of urban chalk stream in West Sussex. By Gareth Williams, Environment Programme manager Solent and South Downs In order to restore one chalk stream in …
-
Becoming an Academic Mentor: making a difference to pupils’ education most impacted by the pandemic
Suzanne Jones is currently an Academic Mentor at Thorpedene Primary School in Essex as part of the National Tutoring Programme. She discusses what motivated her to become an Academic Mentor and what the role entails. When I found out about …
-
Swiss underground rock laboratory turns 25
RWM’s Principal Geoscience Manager Sally Thompson and Stakeholder Engagement Manager Jane Cantwell visited Switzerland’s Mont Terri underground rock laboratory to join international colleagues in marking the 25th anniversary of this pioneering facility for research into geological disposal.
-
An update on payments for our land schemes
December is an important time of the year for farming communities and the Agency. We started to release payments on our land schemes (Basic Payment Scheme, Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship) annual claims from 1 December. This represents the culmination …
-
How Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework can help create better places to live
The pandemic showed how important nature is to our health and wellbeing, but also how many people do not have access to high quality green space close to home. The Green Infrastructure Framework released today will help us achieve this …
-
Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds projects.
Successful applicants of the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds have been awarded a combined total of almost £700K in grant funding and are supporting these 17 projects.
-
A strategy for a data-led organisation
Amy Caldwell-Nichols, HMCTS Deputy Director, Head of Insights and Analytics, writes about the data strategy used by HMCTS to make accessing court services as straight-forward as possible.
-
Consumer and stakeholder acceptance of urban grown food and alternative proteins - my Transforming UK Food Systems SPF Programme Fellowship
Dr Bethan Mead, Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool discusses her joint FSA-UKRI fellowship as part of the Transforming UK Food Systems SPF Programme, which explores urban grown food and alternative proteins
-
Hidden disabilities, HM Land Registry and me
Working at HM Land Registry has changed Emma Procter's life by giving her the stability and support she needs to manage her hidden disabilities.
-
Helping recruiters to innovate responsibly with data-driven tools
The use of data-driven tools is rising across the recruitment sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for effective and efficient digital tools in hiring as recruiters search for the highest calibre candidates in an increasingly virtual world. Companies …
-
Increasing our capabilities in the sustainable management of the Defence estate
The DIO Technical Services team is full of expert practitioners in various fields from archaeology to engineering, and now boasts even more expertise than before thanks to the introduction of 18 new posts related to climate resilience and sustainability. The …
-
Supporting the UK NSC to make effective recommendations
Have you ever wondered where the evidence which the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) uses to make its recommendations comes from? The UK NSC is supported by a secretariat function, part of which is a team responsible for managing …
-
Keeping each other safe in the NHS this winter
Health Secretary Sajid Javid reflects on the Government's plans to keep NHS staff safe and healthy throughout the challenging weeks ahead.
-
Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Government
The Royal Society Pairing Scheme pairs academics and civil servants together for one week to share knowledge and learning to ensure policy making is strengthened by links with academia and data. Through the scheme, policy makers will make lasting relationships with …
-
How the Sustainable Farming Incentive will develop
Last week we published details on how the new Sustainable Future Incentive scheme will work in 2022. The Sustainable Farming Incentive in 2022 is very much a starting point. We are rolling out the scheme incrementally. We want to test, learn and improve as we go, and expand the scheme to fit the available budget each year. In this post, I'll give you an idea of how the scheme will expand over the next few years.
-
Coverage of leading report on the benefits of UK woodland’s for mental health
As part of National Tree Week, we have published new landmark research which proves the immense benefits of trees and woodlands for people’s wellbeing.
-
Making your comms clear and inclusive - our top tips
Government information should be as clear and accessible as possible. Sarah Healey's simple guide for what everyone should know. Civil servants send out hundreds of thousands of emails and documents every week, which is why it’s important to make them …
-
US market to open doors to UK lamb from 2022
There has been widespread coverage in the Independent, Express, Evening Standard, City AM, the Scotsman, Press and Journal, as well as others, of our announcement that exports of British lamb to the US market can resume from next year after …
-
Volunteering in the Civil Service: taking time for our wellbeing by supporting causes we care about
Find out how DIT’s Volunteering Network champion volunteering
-
COVID disparities report: key findings and next steps
One of the most pressing questions posed by the pandemic has been why ethnic minorities have been so disproportionately affected? It was evident from the outset that these communities appeared to be more vulnerable. We saw that in the faces …
-
The furniture upcycler who fixed his mistake after illegally entering the waste trade
Ed Troughton, Waste Crime Engagement Specialist at the Environment Agency, provides his insights into tackling the handling of illegal waste without a permit. My three-year-old son spends most of his time making a mess. Sometimes he’ll spill food or his …
-
5 top tips to keep your property safe
How you can help protect yourself from fraud using our free Property Alert service.
-
Celebrating International Day of People with Disabilities
Today we are celebrating International Day of People with Disabilities. The day is about promoting the rights and well-being of people with disabilities at every level of society, and raising awareness of challenges, barriers and opportunities for those who live …
-
Removing barriers and improving disability data
I started working for MoJ in 1993 as an AA/Band F and am now a G6, I have had a variety of operational and corporate HQ roles. I stayed because I loved what I was doing and I can honestly …
-
Cefas and Industry science collaboration: commercial catch sampling in the age of COVID
This is the third in a series of short blogs focussing on Cefas’ fisheries science work in partnership with the fishing industry. Cefas Scientist, Jon Elson, who is responsible for the Cefas commercial catch sampling programme, is the next of …
-
Five years of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team
The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) was created five years ago after the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-16 to support Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to prepare for and respond to public health outbreaks. In those …