A to Z
The Government Digital Service style guide covers style, spelling and grammar conventions for all content published on GOV.UK, arranged alphabetically.
These style points apply to all content published on GOV.UK.
It includes:
- guidance on specific points of style, such as abbreviations and numbers
- GOV.UK style for specific words and phrases, in terms of spelling, hyphenation and capitalisation
If there’s a point of style that is not covered here, check the Guardian style guide.
You can search the style guide by:
- Selecting ‘show all sections’.
- Pressing Ctrl+f on your keyboard if you’re using a PC or ⌘+f if you’re using a Mac.
- Typing the word or search term that you’re looking for.
If you’re a publisher or content designer in government, you can suggest an addition, change or clarification to the style guide.
Before you suggest a change
Check if your suggested entry is in the GOV.UK style guide or the Guardian style guide. If your suggestion is in the Guardian style guide, you’ll need to explain why GOV.UK should have a separate entry specifically for GOV.UK.
If your suggestion is about GOV.UK’s tone of voice, this is included in the Writing for GOV.UK guidance.
You should consider whether there’s a cross-government need for a consistent way to refer to or use something.
Most entries in the GOV.UK style guide do not include a definition but explain how to use the term.
All entries in the GOV.UK style guide should be plain English rather than jargon.
How to suggest a change
You can suggest a change by raising a support ticket. You’ll need a GOV.UK Signon account. If you do not have a GOV.UK Signon account, contact your organisation’s GOV.UK lead or managing editor to send a ticket on your behalf.
In your request include:
- what you’re suggesting to add, change or remove
- the reason for the suggestion
- what the style guide currently says (if you’re suggesting a change to an existing entry)
- evidence to support the change - for example, user insights or research
What happens next
All suggested changes are reviewed once a month by content designers and technical writers at the Government Digital Service (GDS).
You’ll be told if your suggestion:
- has been approved and published in the style guide
- has been rejected - you’ll be given more information about why your suggestion was rejected
- needs more information before we can make a decision
A*, A*s
The top grade in A levels. Use the symbol * not the word ‘star’. No apostrophe in the plural.
A level
No hyphen. Lower case level.
Abbreviations and acronyms
The first time you use an abbreviation or acronym explain it in full on each page unless it’s well known, like UK, DVLA, US, EU, VAT and MP. This includes government departments or schemes. Then refer to it by initials, and use acronym Markdown so the full explanation is available as hover text.
If you think an acronym is well known, please provide evidence that 80% of the UK population will understand and commonly use it. Evidence can be from search analytics or testing of a representative sample.
Do not use full stops in abbreviations: BBC, not B.B.C.
the academies programme
Lower case.
academy
Only use upper case when referring to the name of an academy, like Mossbourne Community Academy. See also Titles.
academy converters
Lower case.
academy order
Lower case.
academy trust
Lower case.
Access to Work
Upper case when referring directly to the actual programme, otherwise use lower case.
accountancy service provider
Upper case when referring to the business area covered by Money Laundering Regulations. Do not use the acronym.
Accounts Office
Upper case.
Activation PIN
Upper case. Activation PIN has been changed to Activation Code on outgoing correspondence from the Government Gateway. Until all hard-coded instances of Activation PIN have been removed from the Online Services pages, use ‘Activation Code (also known as Activation PIN)’.
act, act of Parliament
Lower case. Only use upper case when using the full title: Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, for example.
Active voice
Use the active rather than passive voice. This will help us write concise, clear content.
Addresses in the UK
Start each part of the address on a new line. You should:
- write the town and postcode on separate lines
- not use commas at the end of each line
- write the country on the line after the postcode, not before
- only include a country if there is a reasonable chance that the user will be writing to the address from a different country
For example:
HM Revenue and Customs - Child Benefit Office
PO Box 1
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE88 1AA
United Kingdom
Addressing the user
Address the user as ‘you’ where possible and avoid using gendered pronouns like ‘he’ and ‘she’. Content on the site often makes a direct appeal to citizens and businesses to get involved or take action: ‘You can contact HMRC by phone and email’ or ‘Pay your car tax’, for example.
Adoption Register
Upper case when referring to the national Adoption Register.
Lower case in subsequent mentions that do not use the full term: the register.
adviser
For example, special adviser. Not advisor, but advisory is the correct adjective.
ages
Do not use hyphens in ages unless to avoid confusion, although it’s always best to write in a way that avoids ambiguity. For example, ‘a class of 15 16-year-old students took the A level course’ can be written as ‘15 students aged 16 took the A level course’. Use ‘aged 4 to 16 years’, not ‘4-16 years’.
Avoid using ‘the over 50s’ or ‘under-18s’. Instead, make it clear who’s included: ‘aged 50 years and over’ and ‘aged 17 and under’.
agile
Upper case when referring to the Agile Manifesto and principles and processes, otherwise use lower case.
allow list
Use allow list as the noun and allow as the verb. Do not use white list or whitelist.
al-Qa’ida
Not al-Qaeda or al-Qaida.
alternative provision
Lower case.
American and UK English
Use UK English spelling and grammar. For example, use ‘organise’ not ‘organize’, ‘modelling’ not ‘modeling’, and ‘fill in a form’, not ‘fill out a form’.
American proper nouns, like 4th Mechanized Brigade or Pearl Harbor, take American English spelling.
Ampersand
Use and rather than &, unless it’s a department’s logo image or a company’s name as it appears on the Companies House register.
animal health
Lower case.
antisocial
No hyphen.
applied general qualifications
Lower case.
apprenticeship programme
Lower case.
A-road
Hyphenated.
armed forces
Lower case.
arm’s length body
Apostrophe, no hyphen.
assembly ministers
Lower case.
artificial intelligence
Write first as artificial intelligence (AI) then AI throughout.
Attendance Allowance
Upper case.
Bacs (Bankers Automated Clearing System)
Acronym should come first as it’s more widely known than the full name. Please note that the acronym has changed to Bacs.
backend
Used in a technical context, not “back-end” or “back end”.
Bank details
When adding bank details:
- do not use a table - use bullet points and a lead-in line instead
- use spaces rather than hyphens in sort codes - 60 70 80 (not 60-70-80)
- avoid using spaces in account numbers unless they are very long (like an International Bank Account Number)
For example:
Transfer the fee to the following account within 5 working days of emailing your form:
- sort code - 80 26 50
- account number - 10014069
- account name - The Public Trustee
Banned words
See Words to avoid
baseline
One word, lower case.
Behavioural Insights team
Upper case if it’s a specific, named team. Always lower case for team and generic names like research team, youth offending team.
Bereavement Payment
Upper case.
Blind Person’s Allowance
Upper case.
block list
Use block list as the noun and block as the verb. Do not use black list or blacklist.
blog post
Use 2 words when referring to an article published on a blog. A ‘blog’ is the site on which a blog post is published.
board
Always lower case unless it’s part of a proper title: so upper case for the Judicial Executive Board, but lower case for the DFT’s management board.
bold
Only use bold to indicate interface elements in text that are explicitly telling the user what to do, for example:
- Select Start.
- Enter your information then select Done.
Use inverted commas when referring to interface elements in non-instructional contexts, for example: “The ‘Done’ button will always be at the bottom of the page.”
Use bold sparingly - using too much will make it difficult for users to know which parts of your content they need to pay the most attention to.
Do not use bold in other situations, for example to emphasise text.
To emphasise words or phrases, you can:
Brackets
Use (round brackets).
Do not use round brackets to refer to something that could either be singular or plural, like ‘Check which document(s) you need to send to DVLA.’
Always use the plural instead, as this will cover each possibility: ‘Check which documents you need to send to DVLA.’
Use [square brackets] for explanatory notes in reported speech or for placeholder text:
“Thank you [Foreign Minister] Mr Smith.”
“Witnessed by [signature of witness].”
Brexit
You can use the term ‘Brexit’ to provide historical context, but it’s better to use specific dates where possible. For example, use:
- ‘31 December 2020’ rather than ‘Brexit’ or ‘when the UK left the EU’
- ‘before 31 December 2020’ rather than ‘during the transition period’
- ‘after 1 January 2021’ rather than ‘after the transition period’
Britain
See Great Britain
British citizen
One of 6 types of British nationalities. See British people.
British national
See British people.
British people
Reference British nationals by their activity where possible, for example British tourists, British farmers. If you’re talking about them in the general sense, use British people.
Do not use British nationals unless you need to refer to them in a legal context, for example in eligibility criteria. Do not use British citizen unless you’re referring to people with that particular type of British nationality.
BTEC National Diploma
Upper case.
Bullet points and steps
You can use bullets to make text easier to read. Make sure that:
- you always use a lead-in line
- you use more than one bullet
- the bullets make sense running on from the lead-in line
- you use lower case at the start of the bullet
- you do not use more than one sentence per bullet - use commas or dashes to expand on an item
- you do not put ‘or’ or ‘and’ after the bullets
- you do not make the whole bullet a link if it’s a long phrase
- you do not put a semicolon at the end of a bullet
- there is no full stop after the last bullet
Bullets should normally form a complete sentence following from the lead text. But it’s sometimes necessary to add a short phrase to clarify whether all or some of the points apply. For example, ‘You can only register a pension scheme that is one of the following:’
The number and type of examples in a list may lead the user to believe the list is exhaustive. This can be dealt with by:
- checking if there are other conditions (or if the list is actually complete)
- listing the conditions which apply to the most users and removing the rest
- consider broader terms in the list which capture more scenarios (and could make the list exhaustive)
- creating a journey to specialist content to cover the remaining conditions
Steps
Use numbered steps instead of bullet points to guide a user through a process. You do not need a lead-in line and you can use links and downloads (with appropriate Markdown) in steps. Steps end in a full stop because each should be a complete sentence.
business continuity management
Lower case.
Business Identifier Code (BIC)
BIC stands for Business Identifier Code (it was previously known as Bank Identifier Code, Bank International Code or Bank Identification Code). Make sure all words are capitalised.
For example: BIC (Business Identifier Code, previously Bank Identifier Code)
business plan
Lower case. Do not use upper case even in the title of a business plan publication.
business statement
Lower case.
C of E
For Church of England when referring to school names.
cabinet
The cabinet is lower case.
Capital Gains Tax
Upper case.
Capitalisation
DO NOT USE BLOCK CAPITALS FOR LARGE AMOUNTS OF TEXT AS IT’S QUITE HARD TO READ.
Always use sentence case, even in page titles and service names. The exceptions to this are proper nouns, including:
- departments (specific government departments - see below)
- the Civil Service, with lower case for ‘the’
- specific job titles
- titles like Mr, Mrs, Dr, the Duke of Cambridge (the duke at second mention); Pope Francis, but the pope
- Rt Hon (no full stops)
- buildings
- place names
- brand names
- faculties, departments, institutes and schools
- names of groups, directorates and organisations: Knowledge and Innovation Group
- Parliament, the House
- titles of specific acts or bills: Housing Reform Bill (but use ‘the act’ or ‘the bill’ after the first time you use the full act or bill title)
- names of specific, named government schemes known to people outside government: Right to Buy, King’s Awards for Enterprise
- specific select committees: Public Administration Select Committee
- header cells in tables: Annual profits
- titles of books (and within single quotes), for example, ‘The Study Skills Handbook’
- World War 1 and World War 2 (note caps and numbers)
Do not capitalise:
- government - see government
- minister, never Minister, unless part of a specific job title, like Minister for the Cabinet Office
- department or ministry - never Department or Ministry, unless referring to a specific one: Ministry of Justice, for example
- white paper, green paper, command paper, House of Commons paper
- budget, autumn statement, spring statement, unless referring to and using the full name of a specific statement - for example, “2016 Budget”
- sections or schedules within specific named acts, regulations or orders
- director general (no hyphen), deputy director, director, unless in a specific job title
- group and directorate, unless referring to a specific group or directorate: the Commercial Directorate, for example
- departmental board, executive board, the board
- policy themes like sustainable communities, promoting economic growth, local enterprise zones
- general mention of select committees (but do cap specific ones - see above)
- the military
Capitals for government departments
Use the following conventions for government departments. A department using an ampersand in its logo image is fine but use ‘and’ when writing in full text.
- Attorney General’s Office (AGO)
- Cabinet Office (CO)
- Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
- Department for Education (DfE)
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
- Department for Transport (DfT)
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
- HM Treasury (HMT)
- Home Office (HO)
- Ministry of Defence (MOD)
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
- Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
care worker
Two words. Lower case.
chair of governors
Lower case.
chairman, chairwoman, chairperson
Lower case in text. Upper case in titles: Spencer Tracy, Chairman, GDS.
Change notes
See change notes in the content design manual.
changelog
Not “change log”.
CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System)
The acronym should come first as it’s more widely known than the full name.
checkbox
Not “check box”.
chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials
Lower case. Use upper case for the acronym.
chief constable
Lower case except where it’s a title with the holder’s name, like Chief Constable Andrew Trotter.
Child Benefit
Upper case.
Child Tax Credit
Upper case, but generic references to tax credits are lower case.
childcare
Lower case.
Childcare Grant
Upper case.
childminder, childminding
One word.
Children in Need
Upper case for the BBC fundraising event, lower case for children in need census.
Civil Contingencies Secretariat
Upper case because it’s the name of an organisation.
Civil Service
Upper case.
civil servants
Lower case.
classwork
One word.
click
Don’t use “click” when talking about user interfaces because not all users click. Use “select”.
You can use “right-click” if the user needs to right-click to open up a list of options to progress through the user journey.
coalition
Lower case in all instances, including ‘the coalition’.
CO2
Use capital letters and a regular 2.
coastguard
Lower case.
code of practice
Lower case.
command paper
Lower case.
commercial software
Not “third-party software”. Also use “commercial” for types of software, for example “commercial word processor”.
Community Care Grant
Upper case.
community resilience
Lower case.
community, voluntary and foundation schools
Lower case.
competence order
Lower case unless used in the full title, like the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Social Welfare) Order 2008.
Components that control other components
In technical writing, use:
- primary for a component that controls other components
- secondary for a component that’s controlled by the primary component
Do not use master or slave.
conduct of business rules
Lower case.
Construction Industry Scheme
Use upper case when referring to the actual Construction Industry Scheme (CIS, not the CIS).
Construction Industry Scheme Online/CIS Online
Upper case.
consultation responses
Lower case.
continuous improvement
Lower case.
contractions
Avoid negative contractions like can’t and don’t. Many users find them harder to read, or misread them as the opposite of what they say. Use cannot, instead of can’t.
Avoid should’ve, could’ve, would’ve, they’ve too. These can also be hard to read.
co-operation
Hyphenated.
core standards
Lower case.
Corporation Tax
Upper case.
Corporation Tax for Agents online service
Upper case.
Corporation Tax Online
Use upper case Online if referring to the actual service, not if you’re describing using the service: ‘you can pay your Corporation Tax online or at the Post Office.’
COTS
Meaning “commercial-off-the-shelf software”. Not “cots” or “Cots”. Explain the acronym at first use.
council
Use lower case when writing about local councils in general. Use capitals for the official name of a local council. For example ‘Reading Borough Council’, ‘Warwick District Council’ and ‘Swanage Town Council’.
Council Tax
Upper case.
countries and territories
When referring to a country or territory, use the names listed in the country register or territory register.
County Court
Upper case as it represents a single court system.
coursework
One word.
COVID-19
Upper case.
Do not use:
- ‘Covid-19’ with only the first letter capitalised
- ‘covid-19’ lower case
- ‘coronavirus’ as ‘COVID-19’ is the specific condition
credit unions
Lower case.
critical national infrastructure
Lower case.
critical worker
Lower case.
Used to define workers critical to an emergency response whose children get prioritised for school attendance. It is not the same as an ‘essential worker’.
Use ‘critical worker’ only in relation to educational provision.
Do not use ‘keyworker’.
cross-curricular learning
Hyphenated.
crown servants
Lower case.
curriculums
Not curricula.
customs duty
Lower case.
customs union
Lower case. Only use upper case when part of the title of a specific customs union: the European Union Customs Union, for example.
cyber bullying
Two words. Lower case.
data
Treat as a singular noun: The data is stored on a secure server.
data centre
Not “datacentre”.
data set
Not “dataset”.
data store
Not “datastore”.
Dates
- use upper case for months: January, February
- do not use a comma between the month and year: 4 June 2017
- when space is an issue - in tables or publication titles, for example - you can use truncated months: Jan, Feb
- we use ‘to’ in date ranges - not hyphens, en rules or em dashes. For example:
- tax year 2011 to 2012
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (put different days on a new line, do not separate with a comma)
- 10 November to 21 December
- do not use quarter for dates, use the months: ‘department expenses, Jan to Mar 2013’
- when referring to today (as in a news article) include the date: ‘The minister announced today (14 June 2012) that…’
Daycare Trust
Two words. Upper case.
dedicated schools grant
Lower case.
defence
Lower case even when referring to the defence team at the MOD.
defence team
Lower case.
department
Lower case except when in the title: the Department of Health and Social Care.
devolved administrations
Lower case.
DevOps
Similarly, use “WebOps”.
diploma
Lower case unless part of a title like Edexcel L2 Diploma in IT.
Direct Debit
Upper case.
Direct Debit Instruction
Upper case.
director
Lower case in text. Upper case in titles: Spencer Tracy, Director, GDS.
director general
Lower case. No hyphen.
Disability Living Allowance
Upper case.
disabled people
Not ‘the disabled’ or ‘people with disabilities’.
Read more about words to use and avoid when writing about disability.
dispensation
Lower case.
Discretionary Housing Payment
Upper case.
Duty Deferment Electronic Statements (DDES)
Upper case.
early career teacher (ECT)
Lower case.
early years
Lower case.
early years foundation stage (EYFS)
Lower case.
early years professional status
Lower case.
early years teacher
Lower case.
early years teacher status
Lower case.
the Earth
Upper case for the Earth, Planet Earth and Earth sciences, with lower case for ‘the’.
East End (London)
Upper case.
EBacc
A performance measure linked to GCSEs. Upper case E and B.
EC Sales List (ESL)
The acronym is ESL, not ECSL.
eco-schools
Hyphenated.
education, health and care plan
Lower case.
eg, etc and ie
eg can sometimes be read aloud as ‘egg’ by screen reading software. Instead use ‘for example’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’ or ‘including’ - whichever works best in the specific context.
etc can usually be avoided. Try using ‘for example’ or ‘such as’ or ‘like’ or ‘including’. Never use etc at the end of a list starting with these words.
ie - used to clarify a sentence - is not always well understood. Try (re)writing sentences to avoid the need to use it. If that is not possible, use an alternative such as ‘meaning’ or ‘that is’.
One word.
Email addresses
Write email addresses in full, in lower case and as active links. Do not include any other words in the link text.
emergency plan
Lower case.
Employment and Support Allowance (New Style or income-related)
Upper case.
Use ‘New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)’ the first time the benefit name is used. From then on, you can use ‘New Style ESA’.
Use ‘income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)’ the first time the benefit name is used. From then on, you can use the abbreviation as long as you put ‘income-related’ first, for example ‘income-related ESA’.
You can use ‘Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)’ and the acronym ‘ESA’ if you need to refer to both benefits at the same time.
endpoint
Not “end point” in the context of APIs.
enrol
Lower case.
enrolling
Lower case.
enrolment
Lower case.
ethnic minorities
When writing about ethnicity, refer to ethnic minority groups individually, rather than as a single group. Where it’s absolutely necessary to group people from different ethnic minority backgrounds, use ‘ethnic minorities’ or ‘people from ethnic minority backgrounds.’
Do not use the terms BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) and BME (black and minority ethnic). These terms emphasise certain ethnic minority groups (Asian and black) and exclude others (mixed, other and white ethnic minority groups).
European Commission
Leave unabbreviated to distinguish from the European Community. Write out in full at first mention, then call it the Commission.
European Economic Area (EEA)
Avoid using as it is not widely understood. Say ‘the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein’.
When rules covering the EEA also cover Switzerland, say ‘the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein’.
European Union vs European Community
Use EU when you mean EU member states: EU countries, EU businesses, EU consumers, goods exported from the EU, EU VAT numbers.
EC should be used when it’s EC directives, EC Sales List.
euros, the euro
Lower case, if referring to the currency.
etc
See eg, etc and ie
Excel spreadsheet
Upper case because Excel is a brand name.
executive director
Lower case in text. Upper case in titles: Spencer Tracy, Executive Director, GDS.
Extended Project Qualification
Upper case.
extra-curricular
Hyphenated
FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Do not use FAQs on GOV.UK. If you write content by starting with user needs, you will not need to use FAQs.
finance and procurement
Lower case.
fine
Use ‘fine’ instead of ‘financial penalty’.
For example, “You’ll pay a £50 fine.”
For other types of sanction, say what will happen to the user - you’ll get points on your licence, go to court and so on. Only say ‘civil penalty’ if there’s evidence users are searching for the term.
Describe what the user might need to do, rather than what government calls a thing.
fire and rescue service
Lower case.
fixed-period exclusions
Hyphenated.
foot and mouth disease
Lower case.
foundation degrees
Lower case.
foundation schools
Lower case.
foundation stage / foundation subjects
Lower case.
foundation trust
Lower case unless the full name of the foundation trust is being used: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
free school
Lower case.
the free schools programme
Lower case.
free school meals
Lower case.
Freedom of Information
You can make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, but not a request under the FOI Act.
frontend
Not “front-end” or “front end”.
Full Payment Submission
Upper case.
funding agreement
Lower case.
further education (FE)
Lower case.
GCSE, GCSEs
No full stops between the initials. No apostrophe in the plural.
Gender
Make sure text is gender neutral wherever possible, such as ‘them’, ‘their’ or ‘they’.
If you do need to refer to gender, use ‘women’ and ‘men’ rather than ‘males’ and ‘females’. For example, ‘33% of our senior leaders are women’.
general election
Lower case, but upper case if referring to a specific election. For example, the 2019 General Election.
Geography and regions
Use lower case for north, south, east and west, except when they’re part of a name or recognised region.
So, the south-west (compass direction), but the South West (administrative region).
Use lower case for the north, the south of England, the south-west, north-east Scotland, south Wales, the west, western Europe, the far east, south-east Asia.
Use upper case for East End, West End (London), East Midlands, West Midlands, Middle East, Central America, South America.
Always write out the full name of the area the first time you use it. You can use a capital for a shortened version of a specific area or region if it’s commonly known by that name, like the Pole for the North Pole.
GHz
Not “Ghz”.
governing body
Singular noun.
The governing body is meeting today. It will decide who to appoint.
government
Lower case unless it’s a full title. For example: ‘UK government’, but ‘His Majesty’s Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’.
Also ‘Welsh Government’, as it’s the full title.
government offices
Lower case.
government procurement card
Lower case.
governor
Lower case.
GOV.UK
All upper case.
GOV.UK One Login
Title case. Always use the full name, GOV.UK One Login. Not ‘One Login’, ‘login’ or acronyms.
Do not refer to GOV.UK One Login as an account. This helps avoid confusion with other government accounts.
For signing in to a service use ‘Sign in with GOV.UK One Login’.
For signing in to your GOV.UK One Login, use ‘Sign in to your GOV.UK One Login’.
Use ‘sign in details’ not ‘GOV.UK One Login details’ to refer to the information you sign in with, for example your email address and password.
See also sign in or log in
grammar school
Lower case unless part of a school name: The Manchester Grammar School.
Great Britain
Refers only to England, Scotland and Wales and does not include Northern Ireland.
Use ‘Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)’ in the first instance. Where possible, you should also make a specific point of saying that Northern Ireland is not included.
For example ‘These rules apply to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). This does not include Northern Ireland.’
Use ‘Great Britain’ in subsequent mentions on the page.
Britain
Use UK and United Kingdom in preference to Britain and British (UK business, UK foreign policy, ambassador and high commissioner). But British embassy, not UK embassy.
Green Deal
Upper case because it’s the name of a programme, but note that it’s Green Deal programme, Green Deal team, Green Deal assessment.
green paper
Lower case.
Group
Upper case for names of groups, directorates and organisations: Knowledge and Innovation Group.
Lower case when a group has a very generic title like working group or research team.
Guardian’s Allowance
Upper case.
guidance
Lower case: national recovery guidance.
Gypsies
Upper case because Gypsies are legally recognised as an ethnic group.
harbour authority
Lower case unless part of a proper noun: Cardiff Harbour Authority.
harbour master
Lower case.
hazardous waste registration
Lower case.
headteacher
One word. You can use head if the context is clear.
health protection unit
Lower case unless it’s the title of an organisation: North East and Central London Health Protection Unit.
helpdesk
Not “help desk”.
high-attaining pupils
Hyphenated.
higher education (HE)
Lower case.
Holocaust
Upper case.
home-school agreement
Hyphenated.
homepage
Lower case.
HTTPS
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym if it’s used in content for a technical audience.
human resources
Lower case.
Hurricane
Upper case for named hurricanes: Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy.
Hyphenation
Hyphenate:
- re- words starting with e, like re-evaluate
- co-ordinate
- co-operate
Do not hyphenate:
- reuse
- reinvent
- reorder
- reopen
Do not use a hyphen unless it’s confusing without it, for example, a little used-car is different from a little-used car. You can also refer to The Guardian style guide for advice on hyphenation.
Use ‘to’ for time and date ranges, not hyphens.
IaaS
Stands for “Infrastructure as a Service”. Explain the acronym at first use.
ID
In technical writing, don’t write ‘identification’ or ‘identifier’, unless it’s part of a standard abbreviation. For example, ‘unique identifier (UID)’.
ie
See eg, etc and ie
Import Control System
Upper case.
implementation period
Always lower case.
inclusion statement
Lower case.
Income Support
All names of benefits are upper case.
Income Tax
Names of taxes are upper case, except input tax.
independent schools adjudicator
Lower case.
individual education plan
Lower case.
individual schools budget
Lower case.
initial teacher training
Lower case.
input tax
Lower case.
inset day
Lower case.
instrument of government
Lower case.
International Baccalaureate
Upper case.
internet
Lower case.
Intrastat Supplementary Declaration
Upper case.
IP
When used in the technical context (for example ‘internet protocol’), there’s no need to explain the acronym.
Italics
Do not use italics. Use ‘single quotation marks’ if referring to a document, scheme or initiative.
Job titles
Specific job titles and ministers’ role titles are upper case: Minister for Housing, Home Secretary.
Generic job titles and ministers’ role titles are lower case: director, minister.
See also Shadow job titles
Jobseeker’s Allowance (New Style or income-based)
Upper case. Always use the apostrophe before the ‘s’.
Use ‘New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)’ the first time the benefit name is used. From then on, you can use ‘New Style JSA’.
Use ‘income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)’ the first time the benefit name is used. From then on, you can use the abbreviation as long as you put ‘income-based’ first, for example ‘income-based JSA’.
You can use ‘Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)’ and the acronym ‘JSA’ if you need to refer to both benefits at the same time.
kanban
Upper case when referring to The Kanban Method, otherwise lower case.
key stage
Lower case and numeral: key stage 4.
the King
Upper case K, lower case t.
law
Lower case even when it’s ‘the law’.
legal aid
Lower case.
Legal content
Legal content can still be written in plain English. It’s important that users understand content and that we present complicated information simply.
If you have to publish legal jargon, it will be a publication so write a plain English summary.
Where evidence shows there’s a clear user need for including a legal term (like bona vacantia), always explain it in plain English.
Read more about writing legal content
legislative competence order
Upper case if used as the full title: the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Social Welfare) Order 2008.
Lower case otherwise: the legislative competence orders (LCOs) are approved, rejected or withdrawn.
liaison officers
Lower case.
life cycle
Not “lifecycle” or “life-cycle”.
Links
Front-load your link text with the relevant terms and make them active and specific. Always link to online services first. Offer offline alternatives afterwards, when possible.
Lists
Lists should be bulleted to make them easier to read. See bullets and steps.
Very long lists can be written as a paragraph with a lead-in sentence if it looks better: ‘The following countries are in the EU: Spain, France, Italy…’
In an alphanumeric list:
- put entries that start with numbers before entries that start with letters
- order the numbers numerically in the correct order for the whole number
local authority
Lower case. Do not use LA.
When referring to local government, use local council instead of local authority where possible. See also council.
Local Authority Trading Standards Services
Upper case as long as it’s a specific named organisation, not trading standards services in general.
local council
Lower case.
When referring to local government, use local council instead of local authority where possible. See also council.
log book
Two words.
log in
See sign in or log in and GOV.UK One Login.
looked-after children
Hyphenated.
lottery
Always use the National Lottery if that’s what you mean.
lunchtime
One word.
Machine Games Duty (MGD)
Upper case.
Machine Games Duty for Agents online service
Upper case.
mainstream schools
Lower case.
maintained schools, maintained nursery schools
Lower case.
mark scheme, mark sheet
Lower case.
Maths content
Use a minus sign for negative numbers: –6
Ratios have no space either side of the colon: 5:12
One space each side of symbols: +, –, ×, ÷ and = (so: 2 + 2 = 4)
Use the minus sign for subtraction. Use the correct symbol for the multiplication sign (×), not the letter x.
Write out and hyphenate fractions: two-thirds, three-quarters.
Write out decimal fractions as numerals. Use the same number format for a sequence: 0.75 and 0.45
MD5
Used in a technical context there’s no need to explain the acronym.
Measurements
Use numerals and spell out measurements at first mention.
Do not use a space between the numeral and abbreviated measurement: 3,500kg not 3,500 kg.
Abbreviating kilograms to kg is fine - you do not need to spell it out.
Use ‘grams’ (not ‘grammes’). For example: micrograms, milligrams.
If the measurement is more than one word, like kilometres per hour, then spell it out the first time it’s used with the abbreviation. From then on, abbreviate. If it’s only mentioned once, do not abbreviate.
Use Celsius for temperature: 37°C
member states of the EU
Lower case.
memorandum of understanding
Lower case.
metadata
Not “meta data”.
metaphors
See words to avoid
MHz
Not “Mhz”.
Middle East
Upper case.
middle-deemed primary school, middle-deemed secondary school
Hyphenated.
Midlands
Upper case.
migrate
When talking about software, not “migrate over”.
Mileage Allowance Payments
Upper case.
military
Lower case.
Millions
Always use million in money (and billion): £138 million.
Use millions in phrases: millions of people.
But do not use £0.xx million for amounts less than £1 million.
Do not abbreviate million to m.
minister
Use upper case for the full title, like Minister for Overseas Development, or when used with a name, as a title, like Health Minister Norman Lamb.
When used without the name, shortened titles are lower case: The health minister welcomed the research team.
MIT License
Note the spelling.
mixed-age class
Hyphenated.
mixed-sex schools
Hyphenated.
MLA
Do not use Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland), just MLA.
modern foreign languages
Lower case.
money
Use the £ symbol: £75
Do not use decimals unless pence are included: £75.50 but not £75.00
Do not use ‘£0.xx million’ for amounts less than £1 million.
Write out pence in full: calls will cost 4 pence per minute from a landline.
Currencies are lower case.
money laundering
Lower case when referring to the activity not the regulation.
Months
See Dates.
MP
Do not use Member of Parliament, just MP.
MS
Do not use Member of the Senedd (Wales), just MS.
MSP
Do not use Member of the Scottish Parliament, just MSP.
multi-academy trust
Hyphenated.
multidisciplinary
One word.
multi-ethnic
Hyphenated.
multi-year funding
Hyphenated.
multilingual
One word.
N/A
Do not use N/A in empty cells in tables. Use ‘no data’ or ‘not applicable’ instead.
national curriculum
Lower case.
national curriculum tests
Do not call them SATs.
National Insurance card
Upper case.
National Insurance contributions
Upper case.
National Insurance number
Upper case. Not NINO.
National Living Wage
Upper case.
National Minimum Wage
Upper case.
national occupational standards
Lower case.
national pupil database
Lower case.
national scholarship fund
Lower case.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)
Upper case.
.NET
For the programming language, not “.net” or “.Net”.
New Computerised Transit System (NCTS)
Upper case.
New Export System (NES)
Upper case.
newly qualified teacher
Use ‘early career teacher (ECT)’ instead.
non-executive director
Lower case in text, upper case in titles: Spencer Tracy, Non-executive Director, GDS.
the north, the north of England
Lower case.
north-east, north-west
Lower case, hyphenated.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Upper case.
Northern Ireland Civil Service
Upper case.
Northern Ireland Executive
Upper case.
north Wales
Not a specific region of the UK.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
Upper case.
Numbers
Use ‘one’ unless you’re talking about a step, a point in a list or another situation where using the numeral makes more sense: ‘in point 1 of the design instructions’, for example. Or this:
You’ll be shown 14 clips that feature everyday road scenes.
There will be:
- 1 developing hazard in 13 clips
- 2 developing hazards in the other clip
Write all other numbers in numerals (including 2 to 9) except where it’s part of a common expression like ‘one or two of them’ where numerals would look strange.
If a number starts a sentence, write it out in full (Thirty-four, for example) except where it starts a title or subheading.
For numerals over 999 - insert a comma for clarity: 9,000
Spell out common fractions like one-half.
Use a % sign for percentages: 50%
Use a 0 where there’s no digit before the decimal point.
Use ‘500 to 900’ and not ‘500-900’ (except in tables).
Use MB for anything over 1MB: 4MB not 4096KB.
Use KB for anything under 1MB: 569KB not 0.55MB.
Keep it as accurate as possible and up to 2 decimal places: 4.03MB.
Addresses: use ‘to’ in address ranges: 49 to 53 Cherry Street.
Ordinal numbers
Spell out first to ninth. After that use 10th, 11th and so on.
In tables, use numerals throughout.
nursery school
Lower case.
occupational pension
Lower case. This term covers both company and public sector pension schemes. Only use this term if explaining tax rules that are specific to occupational pension schemes.
Ofsted judgements
Lower case and not in inverted commas: Westminster School was judged outstanding in its latest Ofsted inspection.
There are 4 Ofsted grades:
- outstanding (or grade 1)
- good (or grade 2)
- requires improvement (or grade 3)
- inadequate (or grade 4)
one-year-on
If used adjectivally, hyphenate and use one rather than 1.
online
One word.
online services
Lower case if the service name starts with a verb - write the sentence so the user knows what action they can take. For example: You can visit someone in prison by booking online.
Only use upper case if the name of the service you’re referring to contains named thing. For example: You can apply for Marriage Allowance.
open source software
Not “Open Source software” or “OS software”.
opposition
Lower case even for the opposition and opposition leader.
or
Do not use slashes instead of “or”. For example, “Do this 3/4 times”.
order
Lower case unless used as the full title: Standing Order 22
Organisations
Use the singular verb form when referring to organisations by name. Use ‘they’ when replacing an organisation name with a pronoun.
For example: ‘HMPO is the sole issuer of UK passports. They will send your new passport within 3 weeks’
The definite article can be used when referring to the organisation by its full name, but should not be used with the organisation’s acronym: ‘You should contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency if…’ but ‘You should contact DVSA if…’
You should only use ‘we’ if it’s clear which organisation you’re referring to.
Read more about when to use ‘we’ in content.
Use local council, instead of local authority, where possible. See also council.
overseas-trained teacher
Lower case. Hyphenated.
PaaS
Stands for “Platform as a Service”. Explain the acronym at first use.
Paper B
In national curriculum tests.
Parliament
Upper case.
Parliamentary committees
Parliamentary is upper case and committees is in lower case.
Parliamentary report
Parliamentary is upper case and report is in lower case.
Patent Box
When referring to the product/relief/regime, then say the Patent Box. Occasionally the definite article will be dropped, for example in calculations, where we use ‘Patent Box deduction’ and when using phrases like ‘Answers to your Patent Box questions’.
pathfinder
Lower case.
payroll
Lower case.
PAYE/CIS for Agents online service
Upper case.
PAYE Coding Notice
Upper case.
PAYE Online for employers
This can be abbreviated to PAYE Online within the PAYE Online for employers area of the website.
PAYE Settlement Agreements (PSAs)
Upper case.
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym.
penalty
See the entry for ‘fine’.
pension provider
Lower case. Not pension payer.
Pension Schemes for administrators
Lower case on administrators.
Pension Schemes for practitioners
Lower case on practitioners.
Per cent
Use per cent not percent. Percentage is one word. Always use % with a number.
performance management
Lower case.
performance tables
Lower case.
performance-related pay
Hyphenated.
Personal Independence Payment
Upper case
physical education or PE
You can write in full or use the initials.
plain English
Lower case plain and upper case English unless in a title: the Plain English Campaign.
All content on GOV.UK should be written in plain English. You should also make sure you use language your audience will understand - check which words you should avoid.
Planet Earth
Upper case.
please
There’s usually no need to say ‘please’ or ‘please note’.
police
Lower case, even when referring to ‘the police’.
police service
Lower case. You can use police force when referring to a regional police body.
policy note
Lower case.
policy statement
Lower case.
PowerPoint presentation
Upper case because PowerPoint is a brand name.
pre-school
Hyphenated.
Primary Care Trust (PCT)
Upper case because it’s the name of an organisation.
Prime Minister
Use Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Prime Minister.
priority school building programme
Lower case.
Private Member’s Bill
Upper case.
probate/grant of probate
Lower case.
probation trust
Lower case unless in a title: Hampshire Probation Trust.
Proforma
Do not use proforma - say what it is in plain English: a template or form, for example. Be specific about what to do with it.
programme
Lower case: Troubled Families programme, Sure Start programme.
Progress 8 measure
Upper case P, lower case m.
public health
Lower case.
public sector
Lower case.
pull request
Lowercase, the same as GitHub does in its documentation. GitLab uses the term “merge request”.
pupil premium
Lower case.
pupil referral unit
Lower case.
qualified teacher status
Lower case.
Quotes and speech marks
In long passages of speech, open quotes for every new paragraph, but close quotes only at the end of the final paragraph.
Single quotes
Use single quotes:
- in headlines
- for unusual terms - only for the first mention
- when referring to words
- when referring to publications
- when referring to notifications such as emails or alerts
For example: Download the publication ‘Understanding Capital Gains Tax’ (PDF, 360KB).
Double quotes
Use double quotes in body text for direct quotations.
Block quotes
Use the block quote Markdown for quotes longer than a few sentences.
Real Time Information and RTI
This is an HMRC programme and should only appear either with initial capitals or as an acronym when referring to the programme itself.
When describing customer processes, use common language phrases like ‘send your payroll information to HMRC’ or ‘operate your payroll in real time’. Do not say ‘send your payroll under RTI’ or use the acronym, for example ‘in RTI’ or ‘under RTI’.
When using real time information in any other sense, it should be lower case.
Rebated Oils Enquiry Service
Upper case.
recovery structures
Lower case.
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Upper case.
References
References should be easy to understand by anyone, not just specialists.
They should follow the style guide. When writing a reference:
- do not use italics
- use single quote marks around titles
- write out abbreviations in full: page not p, Nutrition Journal not Nutr J.
- use plain English, for example use ‘and others’ not ‘et al’
- do not use full stops after initials or at the end of the reference
If the reference is available online, make the title a link and include the date you accessed the online version:
Corallo AN and others. ‘A systematic review of medical practice variation in OECD countries’ Health Policy 2014: volume 114, pages 5-14 (viewed on 18 November 2014)
reform plan
Lower case.
regional resilience team
Lower case.
Registered Dealers in Controlled Oils (RDCO)
Upper case.
regulations
Upper case in the full title: Licensing of Animal Dealers (Scotland) Regulations 2009. (No comma before the date.) Lower case when referring to them: the licensing of animal dealers regulations.
religious education
Lower case.
resilience
Lower case.
resilience plans
Lower case.
RESTful
In the context of APIs, not “restful” or “Restful”.
risk assessment
Lower case.
risk management
Lower case.
the Royal Household
Upper case when referring to the departments that, collectively, support the British Royal Family.
Rt Hon
No full stops.
SaaS
Stands for “Software as a Service”. Explain the acronym at first use.
same-sex schools
Hyphenated.
sat nav
Two words, lower case.
SATs
See national curriculum tests.
School Admissions Code
Upper case. After the first mention you can refer to it in lower case: the admissions code or the code.
school and college performance tables
Lower case.
school improvement plan
Lower case.
school subjects
Lower case for all except languages and initialisations.
schools workforce
No apostrophe as it’s an attributive noun.
schoolwork
One word.
science and technical advice cell
Lower case.
Scientific names
Capitalise the first letter of the first part of the scientific name. Do not use italics.
Scottish Government
Upper case.
Scottish Parliament
Upper case.
Scrum
Upper case when referring to the framework and method for developing products, otherwise use lower case.
seasons
spring, summer, autumn, winter are lower case.
Secretary of State for XXX
The Secretary of State for XXX is upper case whether or not it’s used with the holder’s name because there is only one. Use common sense to capitalise shortened versions of the SoS titles such as Health Secretary. The rule for ministers is different because there is more than one.
section 2
As in part of an act or a strategy.
sector resilience plans
Lower case.
Security classifications
Official, Secret, Top Secret
Upper case when referring to government security classifications, otherwise lower case.
If it’s not clear from the context, you may need to clarify that it’s a classification not a general description: ‘information classified as Official’ rather than ‘Official information’.
self-assessment
This compound noun should be hyphenated, unless it’s an HMRC title.
Self Assessment for Agents online service
Upper case.
Self Assessment Online
Upper case.
Self Assessment Online for partnerships
Upper case.
Self Assessment Online for trusts
Upper case.
Self Assessment tax return
See tax returns.
self-driving vehicle
Hyphenated. Use self-driving vehicle not automated vehicle.
self-employment
Hyphenate this noun.
semicolons
Do not use semicolons as they are often mis-read. Long sentences using semicolons should be broken up into separate sentences instead.
Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament)
Upper case. Write in full the first time you use it, then use the Senedd.
This is the parliament and should not be confused with the Welsh Government.
Sentence length
Do not use long sentences. Check sentences with more than 25 words to see if you can split them to make them clearer.
Read more about short sentences.
serious case review
Lower case when written in full.
service children
Recognised term for children whose parents serve in the armed forces.
services
In military contexts this should be lower case, even when referring to the armed forces services or the services.
It can be upper or lower case for other contexts (for example, Pension Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, customer service).
settlor
A settler of trusts.
Shadow job titles
The Shadow Secretary of State for XXX is upper case whether or not it’s used with the holder’s name because there is only one. Use common sense to capitalise shortened versions of the Secretary of State titles: the Shadow Health Secretary.
See also Job titles
Shadow Cabinet
Upper case.
sign in or log in
Use sign in rather than log in (verb) for calls-to-action where users enter their details to access a service.
Do not use login as a noun - say what the user actually needs to enter (like username, password, National Insurance number). You can use it as a noun if it’s part of a name such as GOV.UK One Login or NHS login.
16 to 19 Bursary Fund
Upper case. After the first mention you can refer to it in lower case: the fund.
sixth former
Not hyphenated.
sixth-form college
Hyphenated. Lower case.
SMEs
This acronym means small and medium-sized enterprises. Use SME for the singular.
south, the south of England
Lower case.
south-east, south-west
Lower case, hyphenated.
spaces
One space after a full stop, not 2.
special educational needs/special educational needs and disabilities (SEN/D)
Lower case, but use upper case for the acronym.
Special Educational Needs Code of Practice
Upper case. When not using the full title in subsequent mentions, refer to it in lower case: the code of practice or the code.
special measures
Lower case.
Speech marks
Spending Review
Upper case for the 5-year view of the government’s spending plans. Lower case in other contexts: we are conducting a spending review.
Stamp Taxes for Agents online service
Upper case.
Stamp Taxes Online
Upper case.
standards of conduct
Lower case.
standing order
Lower case unless used as the full title: Standing Order 22.
State Pension
Upper case.
statement of SEND
Lower case.
statistical first release
Lower case.
Statistics
Read Style.ONS to find out how to write about statistics. This has been produced by the Office for National Statistics for all members of the Government Statistical Service.
Upper case National Statistics for the official statistics quality mark. Lower case for anything else, including statistics that are national in scope.
Statutory Adoption Pay
Upper case.
Statutory Maternity Pay
Upper case.
Statutory Sick Pay
Upper case.
steps
strategic national framework on XXX
Lower case.
strategic partners
Not a title.
strategy
Lower case. Do not capitalise a named strategy: national health and welfare strategy.
studio school
Lower case.
study programme
Lower case.
subdomain
Not “sub domain” or “sub-domain”.
Summaries
Summaries should:
- be 160 characters or less
- end with a full stop
- not repeat the title or body text
- be clear and specific
summary of consultation responses
All lower case.
summer school
Lower case.
Sure Start programme
Upper case because it’s the name of a programme, but programme is lower case.
T Level
No hyphen. Upper case for ‘Level’.
tax credits
Lower case and plural. Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit are specific benefits, so are upper case and singular.
tax returns
Upper case when referring to proper titles for the first time: Company Tax Return, Partnership Tax Return, Employer Annual Return.
Use Self Assessment tax return at first mention, as it’s not a proper title.
After that refer to them in full, or if it’s clear what you’re referring to, simply as a return. General references to tax returns are lower case.
When referring to the legal requirement we use deliver or file the return. Online, we say submit the return. For Self Assessment (paper or online) use send or file the return. Send is better.
the teachers’ standards
Lower case.
teaching school
Lower case.
team
Lower case: youth offending team, Behavioural Insights team.
teamwork
Lower case. One word.
tech levels
Lower case. The name given to the occupational qualifications endorsed by employers and trade associations.
technical level qualifications
Lower case.
TechBacc
A performance measure of level 3 vocational qualifications.
technical terms
Use technical terms where you need to. They’re not jargon. You just need to explain what they mean the first time you use them.
Read more about writing for specialists.
Telephone numbers
Use Telephone: 011 111 111 or Mobile: - not Mob:.
Use spaces between city and local exchange. Here are the different formats to use:
01273 800 900
020 7450 4000
0800 890 567
07771 900 900
077718 300 300
+44 (0)20 7450 4000
+39 1 33 45 70 90
When a number is memorable, group the numbers into easily remembered units: 0800 80 70 60.
Temperature
Use Celsius: 37°C
threshold assessment
Lower case.
Times
- use ‘to’ in time ranges, not hyphens, en rules or em dashes: 10am to 11am (not 10-11am)
- 5:30pm (not 1730hrs)
- midnight (not 00:00)
- midday (not 12 noon, noon or 12pm)
- 6 hours 30 minutes
Midnight is the first minute of the day, not the last. You should consider using “11:59pm” to avoid confusion about a single, specific time.
For example, “You must register by 11:59pm on Tuesday 14 June.” can only be read one way, but “You must register by midnight on Tuesday 14 June” can be read in two ways (the end of Monday 13, or end of Tuesday 14).
If the content or service helps users who are outside the UK, include “UK time”. For example, “Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm UK time”.
Tied Oils Enquiry Service
Upper case.
Titles
Page titles should:
- be 65 characters or less
- be unique, clear and descriptive
- be front-loaded and optimised for search
- use a colon to break up longer titles
- not contain dashes or slashes
- not have a full stop at the end
- not be questions
- not use acronyms unless they are well-known, like EU
Trade marks
Avoid using trademarked names where possible - so tablet not iPAD.
Trade mark is 2 words but trademarked is one word.
Trading Standards
Upper case.
training schools
Lower case.
transition period
The period of time between 1 February and 31 December 2020 during which the UK and EU are negotiating their future relationship. Not ‘transition phase’, ‘implementation phase’ or ‘implementation period’.
Travellers
Upper case because Irish Travellers are legally recognised as an ethnic group. New age travellers is lower case.
Trust or Company Service Provider
When used to refer to the business area covered by Money Laundering Regulations.
trust school
Lower case.
Twitter account
Upper case. Twitter is a trademarked name.
two-factor authentication
Shorten as “2FA”. Do not confuse with “multi-factor authentication”.
UK government
Never HM government.
umbrella trust
Lower case.
underachiever
One word.
underperforming
One word.
under-declared
Hyphenated.
union (the)
If using “the union” to refer to the United Kingdom, use lower case.
unique pupil number
Lower case.
Universal Credit
Upper case.
university technical college
Lower case.
URL
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym.
user ID
Lower case ‘user’.
USA
Upper case. Not ‘US’.
username
Not “user name”.
VAT for Agents online service
VAT EC Sales List (ECSL)
VAT EU Refunds
VAT EU Refunds for Agents online service
VAT on e-Services
VAT Online
VAT online services
Used when referring to all the online services for VAT.
VAT-registered
Hyphenated when used as a compound adjective: VAT-registered business.
VAT registration number
Lower case, except when it refers to a field within a form.
VAT Registration Online
Upper case.
VAT registration threshold
Lower case.
VAT Return
Always use VAT Return unless it’s very clear from the context which return you’re referring to (as in ‘How to submit your return’ within a guide on VAT Returns).
VAT Reverse Charge Sales List (RCSL)
Upper case.
voluntary-aided schools, voluntary-controlled schools
Hyphenated. Lower case.
VPN
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym. When describing a VPN that is always on, write it like this: ‘always-on’ VPN. Note the single quotes and hyphen.
walkaround
When it’s the daily check that lorry and bus drivers do, it’s one word - a vehicle walkaround.
webchat
One word. Not ‘web chat’.
webpage
One word.
web server
Not “webserver”.
Welsh Government
Title case because it’s the full, official title.
Welsh exotic animal disease contingency plan
Lower case. This is not a proper title.
Welsh Parliament
See Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament).
the west, western Europe
Lower case.
West End (London)
Upper case.
Use ‘WhatsApp’ with an upper case A. Do not use ‘Whatsapp’.
white paper
Lower case.
Widowed Parent’s Allowance
Upper case.
wifi
Lower case, no hyphen.
Withdrawal Agreement
Use ‘Withdrawal Agreement’ if you’re referring to the legal document.
Do not refer to the withdrawal agreement to let users know if:
- they fall into a particular group
- a rule applies to them
Instead, refer to things which allow a user to understand which group they fall into - for example, if they were living in an EU country before 1 January 2021.
Do not link to further information about the withdrawal agreement from guidance content.
Word document
Upper case, because it’s a brand name.
Words to avoid
Plain English is mandatory for all of GOV.UK so avoid using these words:
- agenda (unless it’s for a meeting), use ‘plan’ instead
- advance, use ‘improve’ or something more specific
- collaborate, use ‘work with’
- combat (unless military), use ‘solve’, ‘fix’ or something more specific
- commit/pledge, use ‘plan to x’, or ‘we’re going to x’ where ‘x’ is a specific verb
- counter, use ‘prevent’ or try to rephrase a solution to a problem
- deliver, use ‘make’, ‘create’, ‘provide’ or a more specific term (pizzas, post and services are delivered - not abstract concepts like improvements)
- deploy (unless it’s military or software), use ‘use’ or if putting something somewhere use ‘build’, ‘create’ or ‘put into place’
- dialogue, use ‘spoke to’ or ‘discussion’
- disincentivise, use ‘discourage’ or ‘deter’
- empower, use ‘allow’ or ‘give permission’
- facilitate, say something specific about how you’re helping - for example, use ‘run’ if talking about a workshop
- focus, use ‘work on’ or ‘concentrate on’
- foster (unless it’s children), use ‘encourage’ or ‘help’
- impact (unless talking about a collision), use ‘have an effect on’ or ‘influence’
- incentivise, use ‘encourage’ or ‘motivate’
- initiate, use ‘start’ or ‘begin’
- key (unless it unlocks something), usually not needed but can use ‘important’ or ‘significant’
- land (unless you’re talking about aircraft), depending on context, use ‘get’ or ‘achieve’
- leverage (unless in the financial sense), use ‘influence’ or ‘use’
- liaise, use ‘work with’ or ‘work alongside’
- overarching, usually superfluous but can use ‘encompassing’
- progress, use ‘work on’ or ‘develop’ or ‘make progress’
- promote (unless talking about an ad campaign or career advancement), use ‘recommend’ or ‘support’
- robust (unless talking about a sturdy object), depending on context, use ‘well thought out’ or ‘comprehensive’
- slim down (unless talking about one’s waistline), use ‘make smaller’ or ‘reduce the size’
- streamline, use ‘simplify’ or ‘remove unnecessary administration’
- strengthening (unless it’s strengthening bridges or other structures), depending on context, use ‘increasing funding’ or ‘concentrating on’ or ‘adding more staff’
- tackle (unless talking about fishing tackle or a physical tackle, like in rugby), use ‘stop’, ‘solve’ or ‘deal with’
- transform, describe what you’re doing to change the thing
- utilise, use ‘use’
Avoid using metaphors - they do not say what you actually mean and lead to slower comprehension of your content. For example:
- drive, use ‘create’, ‘cause’ or ‘encourage’ instead (you can only drive vehicles, not schemes or people)
- drive out (unless it’s cattle), use ‘stop’, ‘avoid’ or ‘prevent’
- going/moving forward, use ‘from now on’ or ‘in the future’ (it’s unlikely we are giving travel directions)
- in order to, usually not needed - do not use it
- one-stop shop, use ‘website’ (we are government, not a retail outlet)
- ring fencing, use ‘separate’ or when talking about budgets use ‘money that will be spent on x’
With all of these words you can generally replace them by breaking the term into what you’re actually doing. Be open and specific.
Read more about plain English and words to avoid.
Working Tax Credit
Upper case, but generic references to tax credits are lower case.
World War 1, World War 2
Upper case and numbers.
written ministerial statement, written statement
Lower case.
year 1, year 2
Lower case.
zero-hours contract
Not “zero-hour contract” or “zero hours contract”.