8482posts
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Open-sourcing elements of NUAR
NUAR has taken a highly cautious approach to open-sourcing due to the security impacts it could have. We’ve been making good progress on selectively open-sourcing some elements and artefacts from the programme though, and this blog describes that initiative. Security has always been at the heart of the delivery …
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Building trust through independent, accredited conformity assessment
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) has granted accreditation to Kantara Initiative; making it the first UKAS-accredited conformity assessment body (CAB) certifying under the UK government’s Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework.
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Finding my professional home: Henrietta’s journey into the Operational Delivery Profession
Henrietta Ozono-Okeri, a passionate operational delivery professional from Nigeria, tells us about her journey into a new country, career and professional culture.
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The Local Deprivation Explorer: Making deprivation data easier to find, understand and use
The Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) rank more than 33,000 neighbourhoods across England by levels of deprivation. Read about the new site that we’ve built that makes this vital data easier to explore, understand and use – through postcode-based area summaries and interactive maps.
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RPA to start making Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payments from December
We announced an increase to the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payment rates in May 2025. In this blog we provide a reminder of how you can estimate the value of your options and let you know when you'll receive your …
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UK NSC consults on evidence related to screening for antenatal and postnatal mental health conditions
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has opened a consultation on evidence relating to population screening for antenatal and postnatal mental health conditions.
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How well will I be protected from flu this year with the current UK influenza vaccines?
Every winter, influenza viruses sweep through communities, causing a seasonal epidemic. There are several different flu vaccines that are used in the national vaccination programme and all of them protect against the 3 main flu virus types: influenza A(H1N1), influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B.
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How citizen scientists are helping to close the freshwater data gap
By Amy Stocking and Matilda Dixon, Higher Officers for Citizen Science Ponds may be small, but they punch well above their weight when it comes to biodiversity, supporting around two-thirds of all freshwater species in the UK. Yet they have …
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How AI-ready content can boost policy effectiveness
As use of generative AI grows, so does the opportunity to meet businesses’ quests for information. Only if DBT’s online content is designed to meet users’ needs.
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How to deal with restrictions in the register
Senior HM Land Registry practitioners set out how best to tackle restrictions that are no longer fit for purpose.
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Protecting our seas together: MPA byelaws, enforcement, and compliance
Our mission is to safeguard England’s marine environment while supporting a thriving and sustainable fishing industry. One way we can achieve this is through the implementation and enforcement of byelaws within our offshore marine protected areas (MPAs). Our MPA byelaws …
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Building the Skills System Britain needs: Skills England's role in Post-16 Reform, by Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean
The government's Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper marks a pivotal moment, setting out the Government’s plan for a world-leading skills system which meets the needs of employers, drives innovation and improves people’s lives. Skills England will be at the heart of delivering this comprehensive vision …
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Coverage of the standards and conduct announcement
Today, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced planned reforms to provide local authorities with powers to clean up local politics. This responds to the challenges local authorities have faced since the Localism Act in 2011, which has …
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Introducing our new one-day IP Workshop for businesses
Our Business Outreach Team has created a new, CPD-accredited one-day workshop that introduces you to IP and helps you understand how it relates to your business.
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Challenges of Considering a Spiritual Model when Working Under a Social Work/Medical Model
Introductions Challenges of Considering a Spiritual Model when Working Under a Social Work/Medical Model - Soyeb Aswat Having come into the Social Work arena as a Newly Qualified Social Worker working within an area which had a large South Asian …
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A year of Google Analytics 4 on GOV.UK
Discover what we’ve learned in the year since the GOV.UK website fully migrated to Google Analytics 4, and how our use of data is evolving as GOV.UK expands to multiple digital channels.
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Five reasons to join the Operational Delivery Profession and power up your Civil Service career!
Discover how the Operational Delivery Profession provides civil servants with dedicated career frameworks, on-demand learning and a thriving community of practice.
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Celebrating talent and building a supportive future.
This month, we’re proud to celebrate National Care Leavers Month. It’s a time to shine a spotlight on the remarkable contributions care leavers make to our communities and society, and to recognise the unique challenges they often navigate as they …
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Navigating drought: Reflections on protecting waterways and supporting canal users
As the summer boating season has drawn to a close, it’s a moment to reflect on the challenges and achievements of the past summer. Drought conditions have tested our waterways and infrastructure - but they’ve also revealed resilience, innovation, and a shared commitment to protecting England’s canals and rivers.
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How healthy is our wildlife? New report unveiled.
Explore GB’s wildlife health in the 2024 report, led by APHA’s expert surveillance, uncovering disease threats, novel cases, and vital One Health connections across species.
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How to protect trees and woodland from mammal damage
Chris Tomlin, a Policy Advisor at the Forestry Commission, welcomes the launch of the Forestry Commission’s new tree protection guidance – designed to help landowners and managers identify mammal damage and protect woodland and agroforestry projects.
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Building Britain's Future: Why Nature and Growth Go Hand in Hand
By Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England It’s obvious isn’t it. Britain can either build the homes, infrastructure and clean energy systems our growing economy needs, or we can protect our natural environment for future generations. This apparent choice …
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What does the future of planning look like to you?
With Planning We Can! This World Town Planning Day, hear how Planning Inspectorate colleagues are building fairer, more sustainable communities—and how you could help shape planning's future.
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Building inclusive safeguarding workplaces
Le'Siran Edwards reflects on the journey from experiencing workplace racism to founding a national movement. The Black & Diverse Safeguarding Professionals Conference now brings together practitioners across the sector to share workplace experiences and build collective approaches to inclusion.
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A message from FSA CEO Katie Pettifer
Cymraeg CIEH Wales Conference: Embracing change, empowering environmental health I'm constantly inspired by the dedication of environmental health professionals—people who quietly and consistently keep our communities safe. So, I was pleased to speak at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health’s …
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How governors can support effective pupil premium strategies in schools
Governing boards play a crucial role in pupil premium accountability, challenging senior leaders on strategy, and monitoring how schools spend their grant. Discover how a link governor supports effective use of this funding.
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Sourcing the stack for local government technology
The blueprint is a bold vision for the public sector, and delivering it for councils starts by understanding the ingredients of a local government technology stack.
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Widespread reaction to social housing and brownfield funding
There has been widespread national and regional coverage about our announcement today setting out further details of the historic £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme as well as freeing up £150 million from the Brownfield Housing Fund. Coverage across …
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Introducing the GFiE Pathway to STEM
This National STEM Day (8th November), we’re proud to spotlight an exciting new initiative: Pathways to STEM, a Civil Service recruitment pathway accredited under Going Forward into Employment (GFiE). The pathways purpose is to create structured routes into Science, Technology, …
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UK Leads Global Earth Observation as CEOS Chair in 2025
The United Kingdom has concluded its tenure as Chair of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), marking a transformative year for the global Earth observation (EO) community.
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The role of data on school and further education inspections
This week we released information sets to schools, further education providers and inspectors that help frame our inspection activity. These are called the Inspection Data Summary Report (IDSR) for schools and Further Education and Skills Inspection Tool (FESIT) for further …
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Sign up for UK NSC online seminar on assessing screening programme effectiveness
The UK NSC is holding its next seminar on 1 December, looking at how to assess the effectiveness of screening programmes.
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EMS (Extra Mural Studies) week for Vet students
Engaging with the veterinary community is vital in helping to promote the roles of Official Veterinarians (OVs) in the FSA as an attractive career path, so we do lots of work on this and the FSA EMS offer is an …
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Going Dutch to strengthen international collaboration on screening challenges and opportunities
Members of the UK NSC Secretariat joined experts from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, and the Republic of Ireland at the latest Nordic Screening Network meeting.
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Be the difference: Why every civil servant should consider charity trusteeship
As civil servants, we dedicate our careers to public service, working tirelessly to improve lives and strengthen communities across the UK. But did you know there's another way to show your impact – one that could enrich your career whilst …
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How Companies House is helping businesses prepare for identity verification
From 18 November 2025, identity verification with Companies House becomes a legal requirement. Find out how we're helping businesses to prepare.
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Introducing the Mayoral Data Council: making data work for devolution
The new Mayoral Data Council (MDC) brings together senior data leaders from England’s Mayoral Strategic Authorities. As powers shift from Whitehall to local communities, the MDC ensures local government has a strong voice in national data initiatives, turning insight into impact for communities across England.
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Blue Skies Space to launch Mauve satellite, demonstrating a new model for delivering space science data
Blue Skies Space, a UK-based company, is gearing up to launch its first science satellite, Mauve, aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 in November 2025. This innovative small satellite will observe stars in the near-ultraviolet and visible spectrum, providing valuable new insights into stellar activity and its impact on surrounding planetary systems.
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Using AI sustainably: how Defra’s Action Finder tool has shown a net positive impact is possible
Two Defra product managers talk about a recent project exploring sustainable AI development and its potential to reduce the impact our digital services have on the world around us.
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Patterns for the global public sector
Designers Andrew Knight and Nicolás Rebolledo reveal the potential of patterns from the Public Design Conference.