--- version: alpha name: GOV-UK-design-analysis description: "The UK government's service site in plain, square form: black text on white, a single link blue (#1d70b8), big green buttons (#0f7a52) with a dark bottom edge, GDS Transport in bold and regular and no rounded corners." status: Draft appVersion: "measured in a browser, 2026-10-06" platformsCovered: [Web] reviewer: "" verifiedAt: "" colors: primary: "#0f7a52" on-primary: "#ffffff" button-edge: "#083d29" blue: "#1d70b8" link: "#1a65a6" ink: "#0b0c0c" canvas: "#ffffff" band: "#f4f8fb" blue-light: "#d2e2f1" typography: # Font note: "GDS Transport" is a private font and is not available in open fonts. Closest open alternative: "Roboto". display: fontFamily: "'GDS Transport', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" fontSize: 64px fontWeight: 700 lineHeight: 77px title: fontFamily: "'GDS Transport', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" fontSize: 24px fontWeight: 700 lineHeight: 30px body: fontFamily: "'GDS Transport', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" fontSize: 19px fontWeight: 400 lineHeight: 25px button: fontFamily: "'GDS Transport', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" fontSize: 19px fontWeight: 400 lineHeight: 19px button-bold: fontFamily: "'GDS Transport', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" fontSize: 19px fontWeight: 700 lineHeight: 20px menu: fontFamily: "'GDS Transport', Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" fontSize: 16px fontWeight: 700 lineHeight: 24px rounded: none: 0px spacing: xs: 7px sm: 8px md: 10px lg: 20px components: button-start: backgroundColor: "{colors.primary}" textColor: "{colors.on-primary}" typography: "{typography.button}" rounded: "{rounded.none}" height: 38px padding: 8px 10px 7px blue-band: backgroundColor: "{colors.blue}" textColor: "{colors.on-primary}" typography: "{typography.display}" padding: 20px search-bar: backgroundColor: "{colors.blue}" textColor: "{colors.on-primary}" typography: "{typography.button-bold}" height: 61px padding: 20px light-band: backgroundColor: "{colors.band}" textColor: "{colors.ink}" typography: "{typography.body}" padding: 20px --- ## Overview GOV.UK is the single public site for UK government services. The look is plain and square: black text on white, one blue for links, big green start buttons and no decoration. [Observed] What defines the look: 1. **Black on white.** Text is `#0b0c0c`, with a very pale blue band `#f4f8fb` behind sections. [Measured] 2. **One blue.** `#1d70b8` for the hero and header bands and `#1a65a6` for links. [Measured] 3. **Big green buttons.** `#0f7a52` with white 19px text and a 2px darker edge below. [Measured] 4. **No rounded corners.** Every measured element is square. [Measured] 5. **One typeface.** GDS Transport in regular and bold, with Arial behind it. [Measured] Source for this file: the GOV.UK home page measured in a browser at 1440 and 390 wide, read on 2026-10-06. The GOV.UK Design System documentation was not read. No app captures were used. See Known Gaps. ## Core ### Colors | Role | Value | Where | |------|-------|-------| | Text | `#0b0c0c` | Titles and body | | Blue band | `#1d70b8` | Hero and header | | Link blue | `#1a65a6` | Links | | Green | `#0f7a52`, edge `#083d29` | Main buttons | | Page and band | `#ffffff`, `#f4f8fb` | Surfaces | | Light blue | `#d2e2f1` | Panels | ### Typography GDS Transport in two weights. The hero title measures 64 on 77 at 700, section titles 24 on 30 at 700, body 19, buttons 19 at 400 and the menu and search 16 to 19 at 700. [Measured] ### Shape and spacing No rounded corners. Buttons are 38 high with 8 by 10 padding and a 2px bottom shadow in a darker green, and the header search is 61 high. [Measured] ### Iconography and motion Not measured in this pass. [Inferred] ### Themes Light on the page measured. [Observed] ## Platform: iOS The GOV.UK iOS app was not captured. The notes below follow from the web design and platform conventions. ### Back and up navigation Expected on iOS: Chevron plus previous title, swipe from the left edge. Chevron plus previous title and the edge swipe, as the platform expects. Not confirmed on a device. [Inferred] ### Primary navigation Expected on iOS: Bottom tab bar, about five items. The GOV.UK app is expected to use native navigation with the same blue and green. [Inferred] ### Main action Expected on iOS: Nav bar or bottom bar button. A green primary button. [Inferred] ### Sheets, dialogs and messages Expected on iOS: Action sheets, alerts, modals. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Controls Expected on iOS: Cupertino switches, pickers, segmented controls. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Text sizing Expected on iOS: Dynamic Type. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Touch and pointer targets Expected on iOS: 44pt minimum. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Insets and system bars Expected on iOS: Safe areas, status bar. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Icons Expected on iOS: SF Symbols or custom. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Account and sign-in rules Expected on iOS: Equivalent login option when third-party sign-in exists (Guideline 4.8) and in-app account deletion. Note the date checked. Not verified. Sign-in rules and account deletion were not checked. [Inferred] Checked: 2026-10-06 against the public web only. ### Platform conformance Expected on iOS: For each important component: what iOS expects, what this app does, and why it deviates. The app is expected to share the blue, the green and the typeface with the website. [Inferred] ## Platform: Android The GOV.UK Android app was not captured. The notes below follow from the web design and platform conventions. ### Back and up navigation Expected on Android: System back and gesture, up arrow in the top bar. System back and gesture, with an up arrow in the top bar, as the platform expects. Not confirmed on a device. [Inferred] ### Primary navigation Expected on Android: Navigation bar, rail on tablets. The GOV.UK app is expected to use native navigation with the same blue and green. [Inferred] ### Main action Expected on Android: Floating action button. A green primary button. [Inferred] ### Sheets, dialogs and messages Expected on Android: Bottom sheets, dialogs, snackbars. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Controls Expected on Android: Material switches, pickers, chips. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Text sizing Expected on Android: Font scale. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Touch and pointer targets Expected on Android: 48dp minimum. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Insets and system bars Expected on Android: Edge to edge, system bars. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Icons Expected on Android: Material Symbols or custom. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Account and sign-in rules Expected on Android: Account deletion and data safety requirements. Note the date checked. Not verified. Sign-in rules and account deletion were not checked. [Inferred] Checked: 2026-10-06 against the public web only. ### Platform conformance Expected on Android: For each important component: what Android expects, what this app does, and why it deviates. The app is expected to share the blue, the green and the typeface with the website. [Inferred] ## Platform: Web The GOV.UK home page, measured at 1440 and 390 wide. ### Back and up navigation Expected on Web: Browser back, breadcrumbs. Browser back. [Observed] ### Primary navigation Expected on Web: Top nav or sidebar. A black header with a Menu button and a Search GOV.UK control, and a large blue hero band. [Observed] ### Main action Expected on Web: Page-level button. A green button with a darker bottom edge, 38 high, square. [Measured] ### Sheets, dialogs and messages Expected on Web: Modals, toasts. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Controls Expected on Web: Native or custom. Square buttons and fields. [Measured] ### Text sizing Expected on Web: Browser zoom. Sizes are fixed pixel values at each breakpoint. [Measured] ### Touch and pointer targets Expected on Web: Pointer and keyboard. Buttons measure 38 high and the header controls 61. [Measured] ### Insets and system bars Expected on Web: Viewport, scrollbars. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Icons Expected on Web: Any. Not measured. [Inferred] ### Account and sign-in rules Expected on Web: Not applicable unless the product has accounts. Not applicable to the public pages measured. [Observed] ### Platform conformance Expected on Web: For each important component: what the web norm is, what this app does, and why it deviates. The responsive page keeps type and color and changes layout. [Measured] ## Cross-platform consistency Consistent across platforms: black on white, the blue, the green button and square corners. [Measured for web, Inferred for the app] Intentionally different: not measured. [Inferred] ## Do's and Don'ts ### Do - Use black text on white. - Use green for the start or main button, with a darker bottom edge. - Keep corners square. - Use one blue for links and bands. ### Don't - Don't round corners. - Don't use more than one blue. - Don't decorate with gradients or shadows beyond the button edge. ## Known Gaps - Service pages, forms and the GOV.UK app were not measured. - The iOS and Android apps were not captured. Their sections are inferred from the web design and platform conventions. - Icons, motion and exact breakpoints were not measured. - Account deletion and store policy rules were not verified. - The GOV.UK Design System documentation was not read, so role names are not given.