UK National Action Plans for Open Government
Information on building capability, co-creation, implementation and review of UK National Action Plans for Open Government
Introduction
The UK’s National Action Plans for Open Government (NAPs) are a set of commitments to significantly advance the open government values of transparency, accountability and participation. They are developed through collaboration between representatives of civil society and government through co-creation. The commitments are then implemented and later reviewed.
Government participation is coordinated by the Cabinet Office, whilst civil society participation is coordinated by the UK Open Government Civil Society Network (UK OGN). The UK OGN is a coalition of civil society and active citizens committed to promoting greater transparency, civic participation and accountability in public policy and service delivery. The NAPs are overseen by the joint government and civil society UK’s Multi-Stakeholder Forum for Open Government.
In addition, open government efforts also happen outside the NAP process, and many past developments are now embedded as business as usual.
Seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government (NAP7)
The seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government is currently in its initial public outreach phase. Previous plans have had a fixed period for government and civil society to co-create commitments, followed by a fixed period in which they are implemented. The UK government has co-chaired a review of the Open Government Partnership Action Framework, which sets the standards and expectations for National Action Plans across the international partnership. As a result of this review the UK will adopt a more flexible approach, enabling commitments in this plan to be co-created throughout the current Parliament.
The Scottish Government is now co‑creating its fourth Open Government Action Plan (2026 to 2030), due to be published after May 2026, with updates available on the Open Government collections page and blog.
UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024-2025 (NAP6)
The sixth UK National Action Plan for Open Government was published on 18th December 2023. This plan set out commitments to open government in the UK and the ambitions of the UK Government for 2024-2025. This NAP was coordinated initially by the Central Data and Digital Office, and later by the Civil Service Strategy Unit, part of Cabinet Office.
The plan has 4 commitments on: open contracting, aid transparency, civil society engagement on anti-corruption and the country review mechanism for the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). The plan also contains sections on monitoring NAP6 implementation and capacity building for the future of open government.
In addition, Greater Manchester Combined Authority has launched their own local action plan.
UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2021-2023 (NAP5)
The fifth UK National Action Plan for Open Government was published on 31st January 2022. This plan set out commitments to open government in the UK and the ambitions of the UK Government for 2021-2023. This NAP was coordinated by Cabinet Office and initially included 6 commitments on: open contracting, open justice, algorithmic transparency and accountability, health, and anti-corruption and international illicit finance. There was also a section on developing local transparency commitments. The plan was amended on 23rd August 2023 to add an additional three commitments covering aid transparency, diversity and inclusion, and freedom of information.
This plan was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and involved a shift to online only engagement between civil society and government.
The devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales develop their own local action plans for open government. In addition, the local authority Glasgow City Council has launched their own local action plan.
Open Government Action Plan for Glasgow 2021-23
UK Open Government National Action Plan 2022-2024: Welsh Government commitments
UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2019-2021 (NAP4)
The fourth UK National Action Plan for Open Government was published in May 2019. This plan sets out commitments to open government in the UK and the ambitions of the UK Government for 2019-2021. This NAP was coordinated by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and included eight commitments on grants data, public participation, open policy making, open contracting, natural resource transparency, the innovation in democracy programme, open government knowledge sharing, and local transparency.
This updated version of the fourth Open Government National Action Plan includes new commitments from each of the devolved administrations: the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
Open Government National Action Plan 2016 to 2018 (NAP3)
The third UK Open Government National Action Plan was published in May 2016. This plan sets out commitments to open government in the UK and the ambitions of the UK Government for 2016 to 2018. This NAP was coordinated by Cabinet Office and included thirteen commitments on beneficial ownership, natural resource transparency, anti-corruption strategy, anti-corruption innovation hub, open contracting, grants data, elections data, enhanced transparency requirements, core data assets, data user and open data, better use of data assets, GOV.UK, and collaboration on open government reform.
This updated version of the third Open Government National Action Plan includes new commitments from each of the devolved administrations: the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
Open Government Partnership: UK National Action Plan 2013 to 2015 (NAP2)
The second UK National Action Plan for Open Government was published in June 2013. This plan sets out commitments to open government in the UK and the ambitions of the UK Government for 2013 to 2015. This NAP was coordinated by Cabinet Office and included five commitments on open data, government integrity, fiscal transparency, empowering citizens, and natural resource transparency.
UK Open Government National Action Plan 2011 to 2013 (NAP1)
The first UK National Plan for Open Government was published in September 2011. The plan sets out commitments to open government in the UK and the ambitions of the UK Government during 2011 to 2013. The NAP was coordinated by Cabinet Office and included three commitments on open data, aid transparency and the ICT strategy.
Updates to this page
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Added the collection: Seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government (NAP7)
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Added a link to the page: UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024 to 2025: Final commitment updates
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Added links to the pages: UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2021-2023 Implementation Self-assessment UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024-2025 Co-creation Self-assessment
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Added a link to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority 2025-2028
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Updated the lead organisation of the page to just Cabinet Office due to the fact that CDDO has become part of Government Digital Service in January 2025 CDDO was the business unit previously responsible for open government policy. This responsibility has now transferred to the Civil Service Strategy Unit within Cabinet Office.
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First published.