The UK Government is prioritising the accelerated adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across local government to improve service delivery, reduce administrative burden, and drive cost efficiencies. AI is recognised as a transformative opportunity for public services, with national leadership positioning it as core to achieving key government missions.

Recent analysis indicates that effective AI integration could unlock £8 billion in annual time savings across local authorities in England and Wales, equivalent to 380 million staff hours.

Practical deployments are already demonstrating measurable value, including an 85% reduction in planning administration time (West Oxfordshire & Cotswold), 50–60% productivity gains (Kingston), a 99.6% reduction in translation costs (Swindon), and significant projected telephony savings through generative AI-enabled automation (Bristol).

To support scaled and responsible adoption, the government is progressing a strategic programme through four workstreams:

Support to Scale – accelerating rollout of proven AI tools to improve outcomes.

Strong Foundations – enhancing data quality and workforce capability.

Secure Foundations – ensuring AI deployment is safe, reliable, and trusted.

Shaping the Market – developing a competitive, value-for-money marketplace that strengthens local authority purchasing power.

The programme focuses initially on high-need, high-impact service areas including Adult and Children’s Social Care, Homelessness, and SEND. National support includes prototyping and incubation programmes, a collaborative AI Knowledge Hub, planning document data extraction tools, and multi-council pilots, delivered in partnership with local authorities and central government digital teams.

Vision: By 2029, AI will be routinely and safely embedded across local government operations, improving productivity, reducing costs, and enhancing services for residents.

Clara Bennett, Deputy Director, AI for Local Government, MHLCG slidedeck