Identifying households entitled to help with their energy bills and improving planning for social care services could soon become much easier, as the UK government rolls out new plans to use public sector data more effectively, including through artificial intelligence.
Five new “kickstarter” projects have now launched, bringing together the Government Digital Service and public sector organisations to test how better data-sharing across energy, health, legal and weather services can improve everyday public services while protecting people’s privacy.
One major project, developed in partnership with the Department for Health and Social Care, will deliver a new Get Adult Social Care Data service. This platform will gather, analyse and share essential information in clear and accessible formats, helping researchers, councils and organisations like the NHS plan care more effectively for people who need support most.
Another initiative focuses on tackling fuel poverty by bringing together data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs. The aim is to ensure people who qualify for energy bill support actually receive it automatically, without having to navigate lengthy application processes. By linking the departments responsible for payments with those best placed to identify households in need, the government says eligible families could get help faster and with less stress.
The projects are also exploring how better integration of services could reduce the heavy administrative burden faced by disabled people and those living with long-term health conditions. Instead of repeatedly providing the same information to different agencies, individuals could access joined-up support that helps them stay in work, return to employment or take a more active role in their communities.
In several of the kickstarter projects, public sector data is being assessed to see how artificial intelligence can make services more effective. This includes making legal guidance easier for businesses to access, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises that struggle with complex regulations. Ministers say this is an early step in using data as the foundation for reformed public services and unlocking the practical benefits AI can deliver.
To support this wider push for innovation, the government is also investing an additional £16 million into the AI Research Resource supercomputing capacity at the University of Cambridge. Combined with a new National Compute Resource funded by UK Research and Innovation, this will increase computing power at Cambridge sixfold by Spring 2026. The expansion will give UK researchers, start-ups and small businesses access to advanced computing hardware, helping them develop more powerful AI tools and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
Digital Government and Data Minister Ian Murray said technology must sit at the heart of building better public services. He said smarter use of data can help ensure vulnerable people receive the support they are entitled to without unnecessary bureaucracy, while also giving businesses the tools they need to grow. He added that investing in the UK’s world-class AI capability will unlock new opportunities for growth and deliver real benefits for working people.
Alongside improvements to data and AI infrastructure, the government has also announced a pilot phase for a new Creative Content Exchange. This will be a digital marketplace allowing cultural and creative institutions to sell, buy and licence digitised assets at scale, while respecting creators’ rights and copyright protections.
The pilot involves leading institutions including Historic England, the Natural History Museum, the National Archives, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum Group and Oxford University’s museums and libraries. The goal is to explore how digitised collections can be responsibly used by consumers, technology firms and AI developers, with plans to launch a fully operational platform by summer 2026.
Leaders from participating institutions say the exchange could open up collections to wider audiences, create new income streams and support research into areas such as biodiversity, climate change and cultural heritage.
For diaspora communities following developments through Chijos News, the reforms signal a shift towards a more joined-up digital government, one that could reduce paperwork, improve access to support and ensure that people from all backgrounds benefit from smarter public services powered by data and AI.