The Organisation of Government (AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

How a government is organised

• Government in the UK operates through a devolved structure

  • Responsibility for public services is shared between national, regional and local bodies

Central government departments (ministries)

• Central government works through government departments, also known as ministries

  • Each department is responsible for a specific area of public policy and service delivery

    • For example, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) deals with benefits, pensions and employment support

• The Prime Minister has the power to create, merge, rename or abolish departments

  • For example, the War Office was merged into the Ministry of Defence to bring all military services under one department

Leadership and organisation within departments

• Each government department is led by a Secretary of State, who is a senior Cabinet minister

  • Secretaries of State are supported by a team of junior ministers, each with responsibility for specific areas

  • The most senior civil servant in each department is the Permanent Secretary

    • Permanent Secretaries oversee the department’s work and provide continuity when governments change

  • Below them are tiers of civil servants, who manage policy development and administration

Government delivery of public services

• Public services are services provided or funded by the government to meet the needs of the population

• Examples include

  • Healthcare, through the NHS

  • Education

  • Policing

  • Social care

  • Transport

  • Welfare benefits

• Public services in the UK are delivered by a range of bodies, not just national, devolved or local government

• These include:

• Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies

• The private sector

• Voluntary sector organisations

The role of central government

• Central government is responsible for setting national policy and priorities

• It decides how services are funded

  • E.g. The Department of Health and Social Care sets policy for the NHS in England

• It also decides national standards and targets

  • E.g. The Home Office sets national policing priorities

The role of devolved governments

• Devolved governments manage many public services in their areas

  • For example, health and education decisions are devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

• This allows services to be:

  • Tailored to local needs

  • Delivered differently in each nation

The role of local government

• Local authorities deliver many day-to-day public services.

• These include:

  • Schools and children’s services

  • Adult social care

  • Housing and homelessness services

  • Waste collection and recycling

  • Local transport and planning

• Councils are often responsible for spending large budgets but have limited control over funding levels

The use of agencies and public bodies

• Many services are delivered by government agencies

• These bodies operate at arm’s length from ministers but are still accountable.

  • The DVLA is responsible for issuing driving licences and managing vehicle registration in the UK

  • HM Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of courts and tribunals, ensuring the justice system runs smoothly

Private and voluntary sector involvement

• Some public services are delivered by private companies or charities.

• The government may:

  • Contract out services

  • Work in partnerships

• Examples include:

  • Private companies running some transport services

  • Charities delivering social care support

The role of the Civil Service

• The Civil Service is made up of permanent, professional employees of the state who work for the government

  • They support the work of government ministers and help ensure the country is governed effectively

  • They remain in post regardless of which political party is in power, providing stability and continuity

• As of June 2025, there were approximately 517,000 civil servants working across the UK

  • This makes the Civil Service one of the largest employers in the country

Role in policy development and administration

• Civil servants are involved in the development of government policy

  • They research issues, provide expert advice, and help ministers understand the possible impact of decisions

• They are also responsible for administering and delivering government policy.

  • This includes running services, managing budgets and ensuring laws passed by Parliament are put into practice

• For example, civil servants help administer benefits, passports, driving licences and tax collection

Political neutrality and impartiality

• Civil servants are expected to be impartial

  • They must not publicly support political parties or campaign in elections

• Most civil servants work behind the scenes and are not publicly identified

• Senior civil servants, such as Permanent Secretaries, have a more public role

  • They often appear before Select committees in the House of Commons and House of Lords to explain and defend the work of their departments