Government launches trial GOV.UK app

The government has announced that a trial version of the GOV.UK App is available to download on smartphones.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said the move aims to save people wasting time on administrative tasks and bring public services more in line with what people are used to with banking or shopping on their mobile devices.

The app is launching on Tuesday in “public beta”, meaning the technology is still being worked on.

Users will be able to build the app around their personal needs and choose which topics to prioritise on their home page based on which government services are most important to them.

A homepage will let people access these services right away, which the government says allows users to access services with ease rather than searching the internet for what they need.

The government said the current GOV.UK website is visited 88 million times each month by people completing everyday admin tasks.

The government plans to add its generative AI (genAI) chatbot to the app later this year to enable users to get answers to niche questions more quickly from the 700,000-page government website.

Following the launch of the chatbot, the government said it will work on ensuring that different benefits such as childcare allowances can be delt with through the app.

As well as making it easier for people to apply for support they’re eligible for, the government said the move will also aim to tackle fraud, which could result in savings of millions of pounds.

Later this year, the UK government will also launch GOV.UK Wallet which will include a pilot digital driving licence. This will enable users to prove their age when buying age restricted items online and in person.

“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,” said technology secretary Peter Kyle. “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.”