Introduction
Following the accession of King Charles III, the Royal Household introduced His Majesty’s new Royal Cypher, featuring the “Tudor Crown” rather than the “St. Edward’s Crown” used by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Using the Coat of Arms across government communications is important to ensure public recognition of official government work, departments, agencies, and arm’s length bodies.
The unifying element of the government identity is the Royal Coat of Arms, approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1956. Only His Majesty’s Government (HMG) departments and their affiliated organisations are authorised to use the Royal Coat of Arms and related insignia.
All logos and guidance can be found at the UK Government Brand Portal.
The identity system
The King is the Head of State, and His Majesty’s Government governs the United Kingdom in the name of the King. The Royal Coat of Arms is personal to the King and, because of the constitutional relationship between the Sovereign and government, central government departments, executive agencies and arm’s length bodies are required to use the approved versions of the Royal Coat of Arms. They must adhere to the principles specified by the College of Arms.
The UK Government Identity System (GIS) places the Royal Coat of Arms at the heart of the majority of government organisation logos. The government identity system gives uniformity to government departments and organisations, ensuring they are recognised as part of the government and treated with seriousness. It has been designed as a practical, cost-effective solution for consistent logo creation.
You can access the full suite of government brand guidelines and download the artwork by registering for the UK Government Brand Portal.
Logo and image use
The UK Government logo, as shown below, is the default visual identity for all official communications.
The UK Government logo must be used when a policy or communication affects:
- The entire United Kingdom
- England only
- England and one or more devolved government (Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland)
Devolved governments
If a policy or communication exclusively concerns the responsibilities of a devolved government, it should feature that nation’s logo (for example, UK Government in Wales for a Welsh policy). However, if England is involved with one or more devolved governments, the UK Government logo must be used.
Exemptions
In some cases, the UK Government logo may not be appropriate. To provide a reason for exemption and to seek permission to use a departmental logo instead of the UK Government logo, you need to submit your Professional Assurance (PASS) application or contact branding@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
For internal communications across the Civil Service, there is a separate ‘Civil Service’ logo. For permission to use this logo, contact branding@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Departmental branding
Departmental branding is generally reserved for direct communication, for example, email signatures, letter headings and social media.
For social media avatars, the Royal Coat of Arms is used on its own, with the UK Government’s primary colour in the background. For consistency, every department and their agencies should follow this rule, using their crest, insignia or symbol from their logo and their primary colour as the background. This is because the organisation’s name will always be visible beside the avatar on profiles and posts. For cover photos, follow your organisation’s brand and photography guidelines. Cover photos should not include the organisation’s name.
Funded by UK Government
The ‘Funded by UK Government’ and ‘UK Government’ logos explained in this guidance have been designed to help citizens quickly identify government-backed work.
The ‘Funded by UK Government’ logo is for use by third-party organisations in receipt of UK government funds. The Funded by UK Government Branding Manual details how the logos should be used consistently to provide effective and efficient communications. You can access the full suite of government brand guidelines and download the artwork by registering for the UK Government Brand Portal.
UK and overseas branding
There is a UK Government logo with the Union Jack that must be used on any international communication, for any UK Government branding overseas (where the royal coat of arms might not be recognised). This does not apply to the GREAT campaign as this already features the Union Jack.
To request permission to use the UK Government logo with the Union Jack, contact branding@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Co-brand with government
Use the UK Government logo and make sure it has prominence.
If your external organisation receives funding, content or support from a government department, you may be entitled to use official branding. To do this correctly, you must:
- Have permission from the department which you worked with
- Use the UK Government logo, rather than a specific departmental logo
- Give the UK Government logo prominence whenever possible
Government campaigns
All government campaigns and communications should be government branded to ensure transparency and accountability. There are some campaigns that have gained exemptions (for example, the NHS), where branding is recognisably government or well-known. If you wish to have an exemption, include it in your PASS application or contact branding@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Brand safety in advertising
The SAFER Framework introduces new standards for digital brand safety in UK Government advertising.
Style guide
Ensure your content follows both the GOV.UK style guide (for standard publishing, formatting and A-to-Z grammar) and the Government Digital Service (GDS) style guide (for technical service design, including specific formatting for numbers, acronyms and abbreviations).
Brand exemption process
Overview
The UK Government Identity System (GIS) ensures that government communications are consistent, recognisable and transparent. Our guidelines outline how government organisations should be branded. All ministerial departments and arm’s length bodies can request a logo created within the GIS. In some cases, it may be necessary for a government organisation to request an exemption from the GIS – either to create their own logo or to not use UK Government branding. This could be for a variety of reasons, such as:
- The organisation has a well-established brand that is already widely recognised and trusted.
- The organisation operates in a sector where it is essential to maintain a distinctive identity.
- The organisation delivers services to a specific audience, and using a different brand would be more effective.
Criteria
Ministerial departments and arm’s length bodies are automatically enrolled in the Government Identity System. To be eligible, an organisation must meet the following criteria:
- Have a ministerial (or equivalent) prerogative
- Have a GOV.UK page
- Be approved by the Prime Minister (if a new department)
The GIS logo can only be used on internal documents, letterheads or items specific to that department. Otherwise, all external communications should use UK Government branding.
Creation
A GIS logo consists of the following:
- Your departmental colours (or home department if an arm’s length body)
- Departmental emblems, such as Home Office Privy seal
If approved, the Government Communication Service (GCS) will contact you about the requirements and options.
How to apply for a brand exemption
To apply for a brand exemption, you must submit a proposal to the GCS by contacting branding@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Your proposal should include the following information:
- The name of your organisation and details of the brand you would like to use
- A clear and concise explanation of why you need an exemption from the Government Identity System
- Evidence to support your case, such as market research
Assessment process
The GCS will assess your proposal based on a number of factors, including:
- Strength of your case for exemption
- Potential impact on the public’s understanding of government
- Potential impact on other government organisations
- Overall consistency of the government brand
Decision and outcomes
Once the GCS has completed their assessment, they will decide whether to grant your exemption. If your exemption is granted, you will be provided with guidance on using your brand in a way consistent with the government’s overall approach.
Based on your application, there are four possible outcomes:
- Denied: You have not been granted your exemption, and you must use UK Government branding for all communications.
- You can create your own logo but must use UK Government alongside it: You have proven that you are independent enough to have your own identity, but there is a close enough connection with a ministerial department. Examples of this include National Savings and Investments (NS&I) and the NHS.
- You can create your own logo but have to use Funded by UK Government alongside it: You have proven that you are independent enough to have your own identity, but to show you are taxpayer-funded you are required to put “Funded by UK Government” on your assets. Examples include Sport England and Levelling Up funds.
- Exemption granted: You have proven and demonstrated that you are independent enough from the government to warrant your own brand. Examples include the Health and Safety Executive, Food Standards Agency, the BBC and Parliament.
Contact and resources
For questions about brand strategy, design or the Government Identity System, or to request permission to use the brand, contact branding@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Government Communications members can also watch ‘The art of a brand’ webinar in our Learning Hub (opens in new tab) for guidance on how great branding works.