The UK government has published its Roadmap for Modern Digital Government, laying out a cross-government plan to harness artificial intelligence, overhaul outdated IT systems and build citizen-centric public services over the remainder of this decade.
It sets out how government will redesign services to be simpler, more resilient and more personalised, and forge the foundations of a modern, digitally enabled state.
In a foreword to the roadmap, The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, framed its central purpose in starkly practical terms: “For the sleep-deprived parent, trying to sort childcare. The homeowner, getting planning permission. The worried patient, booking a doctor’s appointment… our role as a government should be to carry the burden in these moments, not add to it.”
“This plan sets out how we do that: by embracing AI, removing outdated IT, and strengthening our cyber resilience,” she added.
Strategic pillars
The roadmap is structured around strategic areas that go beyond service design to encompass workforce skills, funding and governance. Each is aimed at delivering tangible improvements for citizens and businesses:
- Join up public sector services: Government is committed to ending fragmented journeys by connecting services around people’s lives. Plans include a secure cross-government digital identity, seamless authentication through GOV.UK One Login and a digital wallet for citizens to store official credentials.
- Harness the power of AI for the public good: Departments will adopt a responsible, “test-learn-scale” approach to AI, embedding tools across services to cut waiting times, automate routine tasks and improve decision-making — alongside central guidance for safe use.
- Strengthen and extend digital and data infrastructure: The roadmap identifies longstanding challenges with inconsistent data, legacy systems and siloed technology. Government plans to create a more visible, secure and resilient digital estate to underpin future innovation - critical for secure AI adoption and defence against cyber threats.
- Elevate leadership, invest in talent: Addressing the shortfall in in-house digital capability is a priority. The roadmap stresses the need for stronger digital leadership across the Civil Service, better career paths for specialists and broader digital skills embedded at all levels.
- Fund for outcomes and procure for growth: Government intends to reform how it buys and funds technology so that public money delivers maximum value, supports innovation and avoids costly legacy lock-in.
- Commit to transparency and drive accountability: emphasises open governance and public trust, recognising that modern digital systems must be both effective and accountable.
Find out more about the roadmap here.