The Government is committed to the principle of data minimisation, ensuring the new digital ID system only processes the information necessary to provide a specific service.

There will be no new single central database storing all government data on a person in one place.

We are consulting on how we can build on existing infrastructure to provide a modern “Government by App” experience that gives users more control over their data than they have now and reduces reliance on manual paperwork.

There is a full privacy statement included on the Education Record. This sets out what information the department collects, what they do with it and how it is shared. It also includes how analytics data are used and that personal data is only shared with education providers.

The Government is committed to ensuring apps, including games with in-app purchases are enjoyed safely and responsibly and guidance on-in game transactions is followed.

Industry-led guidance, to improve protections for players in relation to loot boxes, was published in 2023. A 12-month implementation period ended in July 2024 and DCMS commissioned independent research to assess its effectiveness which will be published in due course.

In November 2025, Ofcom, the regulator of the Online Safety Act, launched a Call for Evidence to explore whether children’s safety online would be better protected by the greater use of age assurance or other measures at app store level. It also looks at what role app stores play in children encountering content that is harmful to them by means of regulated apps which the app stores make available.

The Department for Business and Trade sets the overall strategic direction for the British Business Bank, which is operationally independent and carries out its own due diligence. The Department was informed by the Bank of its investment in Kraken Technologies on 7 January 2026, after the investment decision had been taken and the terms agreed.

The Department does not seek to assess the merits of individual investments within the Bank's portfolio. This includes company valuation, the position of other investors, or the other matters raised some of which are the responsibility of other public bodies.

Results certificates are provided by awarding organisations. The department currently has no plans to abolish physical results certificates.

To date, the Department has not undertaken any formal assessment or estimate on the cost or value of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict levels of demand in accident and emergency departments.

Decisions regarding the adoption and deployment of AI tools, including those used for demand prediction in accident and emergency settings as discussed in the article ‘Faster treatments and support for health workers as AI tackles accident and emergency bottlenecks’, are made at a local level by individual National Health Service trusts. At present, NHS trusts have autonomy to determine the use of such technologies, taking into account the needs and priorities of their respective organisation, independent of the Government. As such, we do not have a cost estimate of a national rollout, nor can we confirm the procurement processes used by those organisations.

The implementation of the AI tools discussed in the article ‘Faster treatments and support for health workers as AI tackles accident and emergency bottlenecks’ did not involve an individual procurement of third-party goods or services for the accident and emergency tool, which was developed in the Federated Data Platform. AI implementation programmes that do involve the procurement of third-party goods, services, or digital products are managed in compliance with the obligations set out in the Procurement Act 2023, and the relevant NHS contracting authorities' standing financial instructions.

We do not know how many artificial intelligence (AI) based triage or patient flow tools are in accident and emergency (A&E) departments. The A&E demand forecasting tool discussed in the 28 December 2025 press release ‘Faster treatments and support for health workers as AI tackles A&E bottlenecks’ is not a triage or patient flow tool, as it analyses anonymous, aggregate data to generate a forecast of demand on A&E in terms of daily numbers of patient arrivals at A&E and admissions three weeks in advance. It serves as one additional source of information to support local decision making in managing A&E departments.

The A&E demand forecasting tool is available via the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP) to all National Health Service trusts and integrated care systems in England and is currently being used across 50 organisations. The FDP provides a single, real-time view to improve patient flow, elective recovery, operational decisions, and patient care, alongside national services supporting management, planning, and performance improvements.

Individual NHS trusts are free to make their own decisions regarding the adoption and deployment of AI tools, including those that are part of the FDP. As such, the Department does not have access to specific numbers of how many trusts are utilising AI-based triage or patient-flow tools in A&E departments.

We are not currently undertaking any work to ensure interoperability between AI triage tools and existing NHS electronic patient records. Local organisations should consider the interoperability of systems, including electronic patient records systems.

The £30 million saving is based on reducing administrative processes in further education and apprenticeships. Extensive user research with colleges identified activities that could be eliminated or streamlined, including photocopying documentation, manually matching emails with applications, and reducing data entry and correction through improved quality. Other efficiencies include removing support time for paperwork, eliminating manual searches for unique learner numbers, and reducing checks on prior attainment to simplify enrolment for mathematics and English. These changes will also reduce delays caused by missing documentation and cut follow-up activities linked to incomplete records.

The department estimates running costs of approximately £1 million per year, based on staff, systems used to store and manage data, and software licences.

£5.5 million has been spent over the last two years. Prior to this, this was part of a wider project looking at options to improve data sharing with the further education sector, looking at cost and burden. One of the options that came from this research was the Education Record.

The App includes qualifications data that the department receives from Awarding Bodies which form part of the Personal Learning Record. This includes general and vocational qualifications, such as QCF, A levels, GCSEs, BTEC, diplomas and Functional Skills. The department will review use of the app and look at future developments following the national pilot, which may include expanding the content of the App.

Plans for future content have not been developed or tested with Education sector stakeholders.

The department currently has no plans to mandate the use of the Education Record.

Further education (FE) providers and the Association of Colleges are supportive of the Education Record and expect this to reduce administrative burden and costs. Once MIS systems are able to read the app digitally and good uptake is reflected among Year 11 students, FE providers are expected to fully adopt the Education Record.

HMRC app users can choose to enable ‘push notifications’ to receive a variety of updates, including payment notifications. At present, this feature operates on an ‘all or nothing’ basis, meaning users cannot select only payment notifications. Since the app launched, over 5.3 million users have opted to enable push notifications, although some may have subsequently chosen to disable them.

HMRC regularly shares guidance and updates to help taxpayers stay safe online and protect themselves from scams and fraudulent messages, particularly during the Self Assessment period.

They include practical advice and links to relevant materials in their Self Assessment emails, social media content, radio broadcasts, press releases, GOV.UK guidance and through other communication products.

For example, the following press releases regarding Self Assessment scams were published in August and December 2025 respectively:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scams-warning-as-self-assessment-customers-targeted

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/4800-self-assessment-scams-reported

HMRC’s guidance on phishing and scams can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-phishing-and-scams-detailed-information

Alongside communications regarding avoiding scams, HMRC also uses a range of communication activity to support customers to file their Self Assessment return on time. This starts with the notice to file issued to all relevant customers in April and with reminders issued directly to customer’s Personal Tax Accounts (PTA) and HMRC app or by letter, email and text. HMRC also encourages customers to file on time through their annual multi channel communications campaign.

A wide range of online help and support is available on GOV.UK. This includes guidance notes and help sheets, as well as online webinars and recorded videos on YouTube covering various Self Assessment scenarios.

In addition, there is information on GOV.UK on how a customer can ask for the requirement to file a Self Assessment tax return to be withdrawn if they no longer meet the Self Assessment criteria. This can be done through HMRC’s digital services, via their PTA or by calling HMRC.

Customers are also able to use the services of an agent to file their returns. In 2024/25, 59% of the Self Assessment population was represented. HMRC works closely with agent representative bodies to encourage the early filing of returns.

HMRC monitors the effectiveness of their communications. Last year, over 90% of customers filed their Self Assessment return on time. The Self Assessment campaign tracking report 2024 to 2025 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-2024-to-2025-report/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-report-2024-to-2025

Late filing penalties incentivise good filing behaviours. They are an important feature of tax administration to encourage taxpayers to meet their obligations and to provide sanctions for those who do not.

All customers have the right to appeal against late filing penalties within 30 days of the date of the penalty notice. HMRC will cancel penalties where a customer can demonstrate that they had a reasonable excuse for the failure to file their return on time and the failure was remedied shortly after the reasonable excuse ceased. HMRC will also cancel any late filing penalties when a return is not required, such as where a customer has ceased self-employment or no longer meets the Self Assessment criteria.

Penalty notices are issued automatically and therefore all customers who miss the filing deadline will receive a filing penalty.

The tables below set out the number of fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing, the daily penalties issued for late filing and the values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020.

Table 1: Fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing

Table 2: Daily penalties issued for late filing

The figures in tables 1 and 2 are rounded to the nearest 10,000, and are correct as of December 2025.

Table 3 – Values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020

The figures in table 3 are rounded to the nearest £1m and are correct as of December 2025.

Notes for tables 1 – 3:

1. Tax year relates to the year associated with the return, not the year the penalty was issued, e.g. if someone submits their Self Assessment return for the year 2019/20 in 2021, the penalty would be associated with the 2019/20 tax year in the data above.
2. Figures are not final as penalties continue to be charged and collected for previous years.
3. Caution should be applied when comparing across years, as the sum of penalties collected will continue to rise as returns come in and the population grows.
4. It is possible for an individual to receive multiple sets of penalties.
5. Penalties in the tables above include penalties for individuals and for partnerships.
6. Penalty data for the tax year 2024/25 is not yet available as the online return deadline for that tax year is 31 January 2026.

Faculty AI was contracted by DSIT following a procurement process. Details of the contract can be found here.

As part of that procurement process, all companies were required to provide a variety of information, including details of their expertise in managing technology projects and ensuring compliance with UK GDPR and security measures.

Pensim3 is a computerised long-term model designed to look around 80 years ahead to compare pensioner outcomes under various possible policy scenarios for a modelled British population. It is used for policy development/evaluation, aiding long-term expenditure forecasting and in analysis of future pensioner incomes. It does not simulate the actions of specific individuals, so its output is not suitable for a person planning their own pension provision.

Pensim3 is the main government source for estimating future pensioner incomes (latest publication is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/analysis-of-future-pension-incomes/analysis-of-future-pension-incomes). These statistics estimate the number and proportion of working age individuals, aged 22 to State Pension age, who are under saving for their retirement.