The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) faced a significant challenge: hundreds of paper-based forms published on GOV.UK were handling approximately 14 million transactions annually. These legacy processes were costly, inefficient, and presented serious accessibility barriers for users relying on assistive technologies.
The Problem
DEFRA's existing approach to creating digital services was time-consuming and expensive. Policy and operational teams would engage with Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS) colleagues to build bespoke solutions — but this approach was often unnecessary for simpler processes.
The organisation needed a quick, accessible, and standardised way to create online forms that could comply with GOV.UK style and accessibility standards, integrate with existing systems across 35+ Arm's Length Bodies, and help meet the commitment to reduce paper forms by at least 20% by 2025.
Our Approach
We developed a comprehensive forms builder platform that enables teams without coding or design skills to create, manage, and publish accessible online forms rapidly. The platform goes beyond simple data collection, offering advanced capabilities tailored to government needs.
Built on proven open-source foundations used by the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and Home Office, we extended the platform to meet DEFRA's specific requirements while maintaining government security and compliance standards.
Key Approach Highlights
- Conducted extensive user research across three key groups: forms designers, subject matter experts, and members of the public
- Built with GOV.UK Design System for consistent, accessible user experiences
- Integrated with GOV.UK Pay and GOV.UK Notify for seamless payment and communication
- Embedded content designers with accessibility requirements in the development team
Understanding the diverse needs across DEFRA's complex organisation was critical. We identified three key user groups — forms designers, subject matter experts, and members of the public — and embedded continuous research throughout the project.
Platform Capabilities
The Digital Express Toolkit represents more than just a forms builder — it's a new proposition for how DEFRA collects, manages, and benefits from citizen data.
Document & Image Upload
Secure file attachments with validation and virus scanning
Conditional Logic
Personalised question flows based on user responses
Custom Validation
Intelligent data format checking and error handling
Payment Integration
Seamless GOV.UK Pay integration for fee collection
Accessibility First
WCAG 2.1 AA compliant with screen reader optimisation
Data Automation
Backend process automation reducing manual validation
The platform actively improves end-to-end user journeys, automates backend processes to reduce manual data validation, enables faster response to legislative changes and urgent requirements, and helps DEFRA become more data-driven through improved data access.
The Results
The Digital Express Toolkit has transformed how DEFRA delivers citizen-facing services. One notable success was the rapid deployment of a form for XL Bully dog owners to apply for certificates of exemption — responding to urgent legislative changes with a form that generated over 60,000 submissions.
Outcomes
- Platform now supports 35+ Arm's Length Bodies across the DEFRA group
- 579 forms audited and prioritised for digital transformation
- XL Bully exemption form handled 60,000+ submissions under urgent legislative deadline
- Full WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance achieved
- Non-technical teams empowered to create and publish forms independently
Looking Forward
The platform continues to evolve through rigorous testing and iteration. Current priorities include making the Forms Designer more intuitive and accessible, expanding the user base across DEFRA group, and deepening integration with the Digital Robotic Automation Centre of Excellence for enhanced process automation.