| name | govuk-style |
| description | Write or edit reports, guidance and documentation in clear GOV.UK style. Use plain English, active voice, front-loaded conclusions, sentence case and accessible formatting. |
| user-invokable | true |
| args | [{"name":"target","description":"The text or document to write or edit","required":false}] |
Write so the reader can understand the content on the first reading. Keep the evidence and technical detail. Remove language that makes it harder to understand.
Start with the reader's need
- put the conclusion first
- answer the reader's likely question before giving background
- keep one main idea in each paragraph
- remove content that does not help the reader act or decide
Use plain English
- use active voice and name the person or organisation taking an action
- prefer short sentences, usually 15 to 20 words
- use familiar words instead of jargon
- explain necessary technical terms when they first appear
- use specific names, dates and numbers
- avoid clichés, metaphors and promotional language
Structure the content
- use sentence case for titles, headings and table headers
- make headings descriptive and distinct
- use bullets for related items, not for a sequence
- use numbered steps only when order matters
- use descriptive link text that makes sense without surrounding text
- keep paragraphs short
Format accessibly
- do not use bold or italics as a substitute for clear structure
- do not use capital letters for emphasis
- write dates as
4 June 2026
- write ranges with
to
- use
% with numerals
- write
for example instead of Latin abbreviations
Check the result
Before finishing, check that:
- the most important fact appears first
- a non-specialist can understand every sentence
- each sentence expresses one idea
- headings describe the content below them
- links describe their destination
- no sentence can be shortened without losing meaning
Keep code, data tables and direct quotations in their required format.
