UK public sector struggling to digitise – despite Government pressure 

Only six percent of surveyed public sector IT decision makers say their organisation has fully integrated digital transformation across their organisation.

New data from SolarWinds shows that approximately two-fifths (42 percent) say their efforts are well underway, while 40 percent say they have started on their digital transformation journey – but progress is limited. 

The research, based on a survey of 100 public sector IT decision-makers, reveals that while two-thirds (60 percent) of IT professionals say advancing digital transformation is a top future priority, the public sector is currently struggling to modernise systems and services. That’s despite growing pressures from the UK government intended to overhaul current public sector services.

Legacy systems continue to be an ongoing barrier to modernisation in the public sector. A significant proportion (59 percent) of surveyed IT leaders in the industry admit that they continue to rely on a traditional, on-premises data centre environment, with nearly half (42 percent) expecting that to remain the case three years from now. 

Another key challenge hindering transformation efforts is the persistent lack of digital skills across the workforce, with over half (58 percent) of respondents citing workforce skill and talent gaps as the top challenge to digital transformation. This issue was felt most acutely among Ministry of Defence and Security respondents – with the majority (73 percent) saying it’s their greatest obstacle.

Security and cost are also proving difficult to navigate. Over half (51 percent) of public sector IT leaders point to data privacy and security concerns as a major barrier, while 49 percent say that limited budgets are hampering their ability to modernise effectively. 

While the UK government sees AI as a key enabler for enhancing public services, less than a third (30 percent) of respondents currently view AI integration as a top priority.

“These findings show that while digital transformation is high on the agenda, many public sector organisations are still only at the starting line. The research also echoes broader concerns across the sector that transformation efforts are being held back by legacy mindsets and severe underinvestment,” said Richard Giblin, head of public sector and defence at SolarWinds.

“Skills gaps, legacy infrastructure, and limited budgets are creating a plethora of challenges—and without focused investment and strategic support, the gap between ambition and execution will only grow. The opportunity is there, but we need to act now to equip public sector teams with the tools, training and visibility they need to move forward with confidence.”