This case study is part of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose’s (UCL IIPP) publication series.
Explore more working papers, case studies and policy reports here.
Scaling Digital Infrastructure in a Siloed State: How the UK government designed and financed GOV.UK Notify to prioritise achieving universal public sector adoption | UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) | Case Study No.3
Authors:
- Hannah White | Research Assistant | UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
- David Eaves | Associate Professor and Deputy Director | UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
Case Summary:
Location and time period
2015-2019
United Kingdom
The policy problem
In 2015, UK government call centres received hundreds of millions of calls about its 7,000+ government services. One in four of these calls was a request for an update on an application or appointment. This drove up call volumes, increased hold times, and was often a source of negative interaction between the public and the government. Worse, they cost the government millions of pounds. Could the UK government develop a method to deliver trustworthy, accessible information quickly and securely across fragmented industries? What strategies could they use to create universal adoption? And perhaps most challenging: who would pay for it in a government structured around departmental
silos? In this case study, we explore how the UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) addressed a government-wide challenge by developing a modular digital infrastructure, focusing on how the team evaluated and made key decisions around scaling and financing a cross-government service. In doing so, we highlight the strategic choices and pivotal moments
that shaped its success.
Main topics/themes in this case
- Steering adoption for interoperability and inclusion
- Scaling for coordinated state capacity
- Financing and budgeting of Digital Public Infrastructure
- Innovation within bureaucratic organisations
- Government as a platform
Read this case if you…
- Are seeking lessons on deploying an infrastructure approach to digital transformation.
- Want to steer the design of DPI for inclusion and interoperability.
- Are looking for guidance on drafting a fiscal case for shared services in a traditionally ministerial siloed landscape.
- Would like to explore alternative ways of measuring impact and value.
Reference:
This case study can be referenced as follows: White, H., and Eaves, D. (2025). Scaling Digital Infrastructure in a Siloed State: How the UK government designed and financed GOV.UK Notify to prioritise achieving universal public sector adoption. Case Study No.3.
Available at: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/case-studies/2025/sep/scaling-digital-infrastructure-siloed-state
This case study is part of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose’s (UCL IIPP) publication series.
Explore more working papers, case studies and policy reports here.