The UK Government has today announced a landmark strategic partnership with Google Cloud aimed at modernising core public services, phasing out legacy IT infrastructure, and upskilling up to 100,000 civil servants in emerging technologies by 2030.
Unveiled by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle at Google Cloud Summit London, the agreement will help central and local government bodies replace outdated systems that have long been described as the “ball and chain” of the public sector, while delivering an estimated £45 billion in efficiency savings.
Under the agreement, Google Cloud will provide technical support and training to help government departments and public agencies—including the NHS, councils, and tax services—transition away from legacy IT contracts, many of which are vulnerable to outages and cyberattacks.
More than one in four public sector systems currently run on legacy infrastructure, with some police forces and NHS trusts reporting figures as high as 70%. These outdated contracts often leave departments locked into inflexible systems with high maintenance costs and limited interoperability.
The new initiative is a key part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change and digital government blueprint, which aims to transform the delivery of everyday services—from bin collections and healthcare to tax returns—by making them faster, more secure, and easier to use.
As part of the wider effort, Google Cloud will also launch a dedicated training programme to equip up to 100,000 civil servants with the skills needed to manage and apply emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. This aligns with the Prime Minister’s target to have one in ten civil servants working in digital or tech roles by 2030.
“Britain will be using more technology, in more areas and more than ever before,” Kyle said. “My message to the big technology companies is clear: bring us your best ideas, your best tech, and your best price. When I negotiate with tech companies, I do so on behalf of the British taxpayer.”
Google DeepMind will also work with government scientists and engineers to explore the use of AI in accelerating public sector innovation and scientific research, while Google Cloud will support the potential development of a unified cybersecurity platform to improve response times and resilience to growing digital threats.
Tara Brady, President of Google Cloud EMEA, said the partnership would help “build a truly modern, secure and efficient digital future, delivering tangible benefits to citizens and driving significant economic value.”
The government hopes the deal will reduce procurement fragmentation by allowing departments to negotiate collectively rather than independently—something Kyle described as a move to “give government better bargaining power” in securing public sector technology deals.
By enabling faster adoption of cloud and AI solutions, the government aims to break free from outdated tech models, defend against cyber threats, and modernise the services that millions of Britons rely on every day.
