The Government Digital Service (GDS) has set out nine core functions for the future mobile GOV.UK app.
It has outlined its plans within a market notice for support in delivering a mobile push notification system to be integrated into the app.
The move marks the latest stage on the development of the app for access to central government services, which was announced in 2021 and has now reached its alpha phase – following a delay that set the launch from the initially planned date of 2022.
GDS said the app should act as a central hub for users’ needs in their interactions with government, and identified the core functions as enabling them to: prove their identity, logging in to services and managing their personal account and preferences; store a digital wallet with credentials and certificates; maintain a mailbox for communications; search for information and chat with government bodies; carry out digital applications and renewals; book appointments and receive reminders; provide consent and sign documents; receive reminders and alerts through the Notify platform; and make payments through Pay.
One app model
The organisation said: “We are targeting a one app operating model with some exceptions for new apps being made. For the purposes of this procurement the GOV.UK mobile app is the priority app with other apps treated as secondary if they were to implement push notifications.”
Work on the push notification function is expected to take place through 2025 and is valued at up to £500,000.
GDS has forecast that the number of users of the app will increase to between 5,000 and 10,000 when it becomes available as a beta version in November of this year, and will scale up to millions over time.
The move is part of a broader strategy for the GOV.UK platform that was launched last year and is built on pillars of accessibility, user-centricity and continual improvement. Its most recent development has been the publication of a new publishing strategy for the web platform.
