UK launches most comprehensive government AI chat tool in the world
Key Points
- The UK has launched GOV.UK Chat, an AI tool inside the GOV.UK App that the government calls the most comprehensive government-built chat tool in the world
- The tool draws on more than 80,000 pages of official GOV.UK guidance and answers questions in plain language at any time of day
- Funded childcare can be worth up to £8,000 a year per child for eligible families, with retirees, first-time buyers and small business owners named as priority users
- Some government call centres handle around 100,000 calls a day and research suggests up to half of those questions could be answered by the tool
- Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the tool ends the need to spend time "trawling through hundreds of web pages to get a straight answer" on entitlements
The UK has launched a new AI tool which allows users to easily ask for government information without reading through pages of guidance.
GOV.UK Chat sits inside the GOV.UK App and draws on more than 80,000 pages of official guidance. The government calls it the most comprehensive government-built chat tool in the world.
It answers questions in plain language at any time of day. Early trials show the strongest demand is around tax, driving and transport, and benefits.
Some government call centres handle around 100,000 calls a day. Research cited by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology suggests up to half of those questions could be answered by GOV.UK Chat.
Funded childcare hours can be worth up to £8,000 a year per child for eligible families, and the department said many parents do not claim what they are entitled to. Retirees often miss State Pension top-ups, Pension Credit, housing support and Cold Weather Payments.
First-time buyers can use the tool to compare Lifetime ISAs, the First Homes scheme, Stamp Duty relief and shared ownership. It also handles questions on finding an apprenticeship, applying for a driving licence, setting up a limited company and checking tax obligations.
GOV.UK Chat signposts users to existing GOV.UK calculators including the childcare calculator, Stamp Duty calculator, maternity pay calculator and benefits eligibility checker. Sole traders, entrepreneurs and small business owners are named by the department as priority users.
“For too long, navigating government has felt like a full-time job,” said Liz Kendall, Technology Secretary. “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,” she said.
Helplines and other support services will remain available, and the department said the tool is intended to free up frontline staff for more complex cases.
