GDS sets up new team to create unified GOV.UK experience for business

The Government Digital Service (GDS) has established a new team to develop a unified GOV.UK experience for businesses, as part of plans to reduce fragmentation across government services.

The team will work with the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST) to provide what the organisations describe as a “single, proactive and personalised experience for business” through GOV.UK.

Joint research by GDS and BIST has identified at least 160 government services related to business, illustrating the complexity companies can face when interacting with the public sector.

Currently, starting a business can require users to navigate multiple pieces of guidance across different government organisations and web pages, as well as use more than one logged-in account.

This can include finding guidance on starting a business, registering as a sole trader or incorporating a limited company, setting up financial accounts, understanding employment legislation and meeting ongoing and sector-specific compliance requirements.

GDS and BIST said they now want to streamline that experience.

One place to transact with government

The long-term ambition is to give businesses a single place to interact with government, using GOV.UK’s existing channels, capabilities and components.

According to GDS, this would include helping businesses understand where to start and what to do next, find funding opportunities and access people, expertise and professional networks.

A more consistent approach to accessing services could also reduce duplication and help counter fraud, it said.

The work follows the State of Digital Government Review, which identified fragmentation and duplication across the public sector’s digital estate as significant barriers to improving services. It also forms part of commitments made in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government to create services that work for businesses as well as they do for citizens.

New team to lead delivery

GDS said the new team has been established specifically to lead the delivery of improved online interactions between businesses and government.

Building on discovery and testing already undertaken, it will carry out further research with business users and translate its findings into products and services designed with businesses.

The programme will combine GDS’ digital transformation expertise with BIST’s relationships with businesses and organisations including HMRC and Companies House. The team will also identify priority improvements that can be made to GOV.UK as the wider service develops.

Rather than delivering the new experience through a single launch, GDS plans to introduce changes in phases.

“It’s our intention to build a unified GOV.UK experience for business through phased delivery rather than a ‘big bang’ release, and we’ll co-design any solutions we put in place with businesses and government,” said GDS in a new blog.

The team will look for early improvements, including changes to existing GOV.UK content, while gradually moving towards what GDS describes as a “full-service offering”.

Cutting the cost of doing business

The programme is also being positioned as part of the government’s wider growth and regulatory reform agenda.

DBIST recently committed to reducing administrative burdens on businesses by 25 percent, equivalent to £5.6 billion, by the end of Parliament. GDS and DBIST said making government support and services easier for businesses to find could help unlock innovation, encourage investment and improve productivity.

Stakeholders have also identified links with DBIST’s Smart Data agenda and fraud prevention as areas for the team to consider.

GDS said it will look at how other governments internationally are addressing similar challenges as it develops the programme.