Monochrome logo replaced with more blue, with a redesign that government hopes ‘works for everyone’, while other new features, such as animation, to become evident on incoming app and wallet
The Government Digital Service has unveiled a redesign of the GOV.UK logo and text that introduces colour to the previously black-and-white emblem and also elevates the “dot” in the text from its baseline position.
While the new design – which has a confirmed cost of “about £532,000” – still features a white Tudor crown and lettering, the background is blue and the dot in GOV.UK becomes turquoise, as pictured above.
GDS said the changes were being made to the “look and feel” of the branding “make sure GOV.UK works well for everyone”.
PublicTechnology understands that the new branding had been developed following extensive user research and testing, which placed accessibility “at the heart of the work”, and which was carried out under contracts awarded to creative gurus M&C Saatchi.
The agency set up by Maurice and Charles Saatchi in 1995 was awarded two contracts for a GOV.UK “brand identity refresh” last year alone, with a combined value range of up to £750,000.
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GDS said an accessibility specialist had been embedded in the team for the project, and that individual brand elements were tested to ensure they meet a “wide range” of user needs.
It said the refreshed design improves legibility, introduces a more inclusive colour palette, and supports a consistent experience across new channels like mobile and social media.
The redesign is already the default on the government homepage. GDS said it will be rolled out across new channels, including the soon-to-launch GOV.UK App and GOV.UK Wallet. The service cautioned that people should expect both the old and new logos to appear across products “for a while”.
GDS added that GOV.UK users can expect to see “the introduction of animation into the GOV.UK identity, primarily in the GOV.UK App and on GOV.UK’s social media accounts”.
A government spokesperson said the process of the GOV.UK redesign had begun under the Sunak administration before last year’s general election.
“This was committed to by the previous government, with two of the three contracts signed and delivered by July 2024,” they said. “The new government then chose to turn the rebranding and research work into consumer-friendly digital products, including our upcoming GOV.UK App, GOV.UK Chat and more.”
