Government activity

Get Involved

Find out how you can engage with government directly, and take part locally, nationally or internationally.

Engage with government

You can give your views on new or changing government policies by responding to consultations. Government departments take these responses into consideration before making decisions.

Respond to consultations

172   Open consultations
173   Closed consultations in the past 12 months

Closing today

Machetes and other bladed articles: proposed legislation

Read and respond

Recently opened

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Recent outcomes

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Start a petition

You can create a petition to influence government and Parliament. If the petition gets at least 100,000 online signatures, it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons.

Follow a blog or social media channel

For an instant way to interact with government departments, try their social media streams. These are listed under 'Follow us' on the department's home page. As well as access to blogs, audio, video and more, you can comment, debate and rate.

See all government departments

Some active government blogs include

Take part

Volunteer

Find out how to volunteer in your local community and give your time to help others.
Volunteers working in a garden

National Citizen Service

If you're 16 or 17 years old, you can take part in the National Citizen Service

Start a public service mutual

If you work in the public sector, you may be able to set up a public service mutual.
Work colleagues watch a presentation

Set up a new school

Free schools are independent, state-funded schools.
Teacher writing on a white board

Help make your neighbourhood a safer place

You can help make your local area safer in a number of different ways.

Decide where homes, shops and businesses should be built

Your community can get involved in making decisions about where new buildings should be built.
Man in a hardhat surveying a building

Challenge to run a local service

Your group could take over the running of a local service, if you could make improvements.
Girl reading in a library

Improve your social housing

Improve where you live by making sure your landlord provides what you need.
Man fitting a lock to a door

Protect a local building

Use the Community Right to Bid to mark out local buildings or land as valuable to your community.
An old building

Organise a street party

Meet your neighbours, celebrate an event or mark an occasion with a party.
Tug-of-war at a street party outside Number 10

Take over a local pub, shop, or green space for the community

Ways to help your area by supporting local businesses and services, and reclaiming underused space.
Disused building

Volunteer as a school governor

Could you help set a school's direction and ensure that its budget is properly managed?
Teacher in a classroom

Set up a town or parish council

Local councils provide services to meet local needs and improve community wellbeing.
Aerial view of houses

Invest in local enterprises

Use 'community shares' to support and invest in local businesses.

Help run a charity

Find out how you could help run a charity by volunteering as a charity trustee.
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Make a neighbourhood plan

Have a say in development in your area by joining a neighbourhood planning group, or starting one of your own.
Aerial view of houses

Create a community library

Find out how you can help support local libraries, including taking on ownership and management.
Girl reading in a library

Become a councillor

All councils are led by democratically elected councillors who set the vision and direction, and represent their local community.
Headshots of 6 councillors

More ways to take part

Many people are already volunteering, donating and contributing, both in the UK and abroad. If you'd like to join them, but dont know where to start, here's a list of suggestions