Explainers
Our explainers cover key subjects relating to our work, setting out key facts and figures and answering the most important questions about government.
Explore our explainers
Machinery of government changes
What is a machinery of government change?
The deputy prime minister and first secretary of state
What is the role of the deputy prime minister and the first secretary of state? And how do they differ?
Civil Service People Survey
What does the Civil Service People Survey tell us about civil servants' experience of working in government departments?
The Windsor Framework
On 27 February, the UK and EU announced a new ‘Windsor Framework’ to make changes to the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Trailblazer devolution deals
What are trailblazer devolution deals and what powers will they devolve to combined authorities?
Stormont Brake: The Windsor Framework
What is the Stormont Brake and why has it been agreed?
Football governance
What is the government’s new football governance white paper?
Ofwat
Ofwat is the economic regulator for the water and sewage sectors in England and Wales. But how does it work?
English devolution
What is the history of English devolution? How much of England has devolution? Which powers are devolved?
Asylum backlog
The asylum backlog refers to the number of people seeking asylum in the UK who are awaiting a decision on their case.