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Chatbot functionality in the Gov.uk app now provides citizens and businesses with a natural language interface across government online services in the UK
A flagship project that promises to revolutionise the way the public interacts with UK government services is now available. It can only be accessed via the Gov.uk app, however, which means people will need to use a relatively modern iPhone, iPad or Android device. There are also known compatibility issues that may affect users who rely on assistive technology.
The artificial intelligence (AI) tool, called Gov.uk Chat, aims to tackle government inefficiency by offering people a chatbot through a dedicated smartphone app, rather than waiting to speak to a call handler. In January, the State of digital government review reported that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) handles approximately 100,000 calls each day, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) processes around 45,000 letters daily, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) still manages more than 500 paper form-based services.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said Gov.uk Chat draws on tens of thousands of pages of guidance from UK government public websites and has been designed to help people find answers to questions often buried in government websites. DSIT said early trials have shown demand is strongest around tax, driving and transport, and benefits.
It can also be used in business. For instance, it can help sole traders understand their tax obligations, guide entrepreneurs in setting up a new company, or point small business owners to relevant grants and support. DSIT said Gov.uk Chat provides fast, reliable answers drawn from across UK government websites, thereby helping businesses to spend less time navigating government and more time focused on growth.
Commenting on the launch, technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “Modernising our digital services is central to building a government that works for everyone. For too long, navigating government has felt like a full-time job.
“Whether you’re a parent trying to find out what childcare you’re entitled to, a first-time buyer working out which schemes you can access, or someone approaching retirement, you shouldn’t have to spend time trawling through hundreds of web pages to get a straight answer. Gov.uk Chat changes that – putting clear, reliable information in people’s hands in seconds, at any time of day.”
Gov.uk Chat is built into the Gov.uk app, which was launched last year. This can be installed on iPhones with iOS 16 or above, which means people need an iOS device from 2022 onwards – the oldest supported iOS devices are the iPhone 8 and the 5th-generation iPad. For Android users, the Gov.uk app requires Android 10 or later, which means smartphones from 2019 are supported. However, version 10 of the Android operating system reached end of life in March 2023, which is when Google stopped releasing official security updates.
The March 2026 accessibility statement from the government regarding the Gov.uk app recognises limitations in usability. For iOS users, it is not possible to use Assistive Touch and iOS Reachability mode at the same time in the Gov.uk app. There are also parts of the app that cannot be easily navigated with an external keyboard, preventing some users from accessing all content or selecting links.
For Android, along with some difficulties relating to screen navigation, in Gov.uk Chat conversations, users cannot select individual links within Chat’s responses when navigating with an external keyboard. Another issue is that when Gov.uk Chat gives very long responses, the screen does not automatically scroll to show the specific content currently being read or highlighted.
The government said it has been been working closely with an accessibility agency which has completed an independent Web Content Accessibility Guidelines audit and disabled user testing on the app, including Chat. “We have made improvements to usability and accessibility and will be updating the app accessibility statement in line with that continuing work,” a spokesperson said. The government said the current accessibility issues relating to VoiceOver on iOS and the automatic scrolling of long conversations on Android devices, have now been resolved.
