Anthropic to build Claude-powered AI assistant for GOV.UK

Anthropic has won a UK government selection process to build and pilot an AI assistant for GOV.UK, with an initial focus on employment-related services.

The company will work with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on a dedicated tool that sits alongside GOV.UK services. The first use case centres on job seekers and people returning to work. The assistant will give guidance on finding jobs, training options, and relevant government support.

The work follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Anthropic and the UK government in early 2025. The agreement covered exploration of advanced AI in public services.

GOV.UK assistant

Anthropic said the assistant will run on Claude. The company described it as an "agentic" system that goes beyond question answering. It will guide users through government processes. It will tailor responses to individual circumstances.

Employment services will act as the pilot area. The assistant will provide career advice and signposting. It will route people to the relevant services based on their situation. Anthropic said it will also maintain context across interactions, so users do not need to repeat information when they return.

Anthropic said users will have control over their data, including what the system remembers. It said people will be able to opt out. The company said it will handle personal information in line with UK data protection law.

DSIT and Anthropic will follow a phased approach under the government's "Scan, Pilot, Scale" framework. The model sets out steps for testing and iteration before any wider rollout across services.

Safety focus

Anthropic framed the project as a safety-led deployment in the public sector. The company said it has worked with DSIT since signing the earlier agreement on ways to introduce AI into government services.

"We're excited to partner with the UK government to help deliver on the AI Opportunities Action Plan," said Pip White, Head of UK, Ireland and Northern Europe, Anthropic.

"This partnership with the UK government is central to our mission. It demonstrates how frontier AI can be deployed safely for the public benefit, setting the standard for how governments integrate AI into the services their citizens depend on," said White.

Skills transfer

Anthropic said it will place engineers alongside civil servants and software developers at the Government Digital Service. The company said the engagement will include work on building AI and AI safety expertise inside government. It said the aim is for the UK government to maintain the system independently.

The project sits within a broader policy push around AI adoption in public services. The government has signalled interest in using AI to improve navigation of services and reduce friction for citizens. DSIT has also positioned pilots as a route to gather evidence and refine governance and procurement approaches.

UK footprint

Anthropic also pointed to its broader investment in the UK. It said it continues to work with the UK AI Security Institute on testing and evaluation of its models. It said that work informs safeguards and evaluation frameworks for use in the public sector and other deployments.

The company said its London office continues to grow across research and commercial roles, including applied AI and policy. "Anthropic's UK team plays a key role in advancing our models at the frontier and transforming the public sector and broader British business landscape, from fast-growing startups like incident.io and Wordsmith to enterprises like WPP and London Stock Exchange Group," said Chris Ciauri, Managing Director International, Anthropic.

Public sector trend

The GOV.UK pilot adds to a list of Anthropic public sector and education partnerships that the company has highlighted in other markets. In the UK, it said it partners with the London School of Economics on student access to Claude. It also cited work with Iceland's Ministry of Education and Children on a national AI education pilot, and a separate partnership with the Rwandan Government on AI education.

The GOV.UK assistant will now move into build and pilot stages under DSIT oversight, with employment services acting as the first live test area.