The days of wasting hours on hold to government helplines for tax queries or driving licence issues could finally be numbered. The government has announced a major new initiative designed to drag public services into the digital age and dramatically improve the experience for millions of citizens.
What is the CustomerFirst Pilot?
Launching on 17 January 2026, the initiative is called CustomerFirst. It is a dedicated team of experts tasked with tackling the notorious inefficiencies that plague government departments. Their mission is to cut down the long phone queues, eliminate repeated form-filling, and reduce the endless paperwork that Brits routinely face.
Speaking to the Mirror, Tech Minister Ian Murray laid out the stark reality. "We’ve pretty much got a digitised population served by an analogue government," he stated. He highlighted that the public loses millions of hours each year battling poor services, waiting on hold, chasing unanswered emails, and filling in the same forms repeatedly.
"It's completely inefficient for government and it means the relationship between government and the citizen is pretty poor," Murray added. "A culture of ‘computer says no’ is not good enough."
AI and Private Sector Inspiration
The CustomerFirst unit will move from one public service to another, devising a unique efficiency plan for each. The first department to partner with the team will be the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which handles millions of customer interactions annually on driving licences and vehicle registrations.
Mr Murray pointed out the scale of the challenge, noting that the DVLA receives 45,000 pieces of paper through the post every single day. CustomerFirst will work to find bespoke, modern solutions to transform this outdated system.
Ministers are taking direct inspiration from successful private sector companies like Octopus Energy, where AI drafts 35% of customer emails and customer satisfaction ratings stand at 70%. "If we can achieve that in government, it's a huge step forward," Murray said.
Potential Savings and Wider Impact
The potential benefits of the CustomerFirst pilot are substantial. By moving services away from reliance on phone, post, and in-person visits to smarter online processing and AI, the initiative could save up to £4 billion for taxpayers.
This project builds upon existing digital modernisation work within other key departments, including HMRC and the development of the NHS app. Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood echoed the sentiment, stating: "Contacting any service provider should be easy. Too many people are stuck waiting on hold or filling out the same forms again and again. We want to make getting on the road as simple as possible."
The success of the CustomerFirst pilot could signal a fundamental shift in how citizens interact with the state, promising a future where public service is as streamlined and responsive as the best offerings in the private sector.
