5 December 2024All councils aspiring to move over to a .gov.uk domain with the help of government funding, should note that 85% of funding has now been allocated. The Parish Council Domains Helper Service anticipates that – as demand is currently very high – all funds will be allocated by early January 2025.
A call to action
The service urge all councils still hoping to secure funding to take the following course of action depending on your individual circumstances:
- Talk to your colleagues and emphasise the finite nature of funding and the need to take decisive action now
- Talk to your Approved Registrar (if you’ve already selected one from our shortlist) about moving ahead quickly. They are aware of the current situation and will be able to advise you accordingly.
Ensuring fair allocation of available funds
As always, the service are operating a strict first come, first served approach to funding. To further support this, they have implemented a new 30 day time limit from the day that a council fills out a funding eligibility form to when their Approved Registrar applies for a .gov.uk domain on their behalf. If an application goes over the 30 days, then that funding is released and the council will need to re-apply. Completing an eligibility form is not a guarantee of funding.
They will communicate again once the full funding allocation has been reached.
Looking ahead
They understand that this funding news may be disappointing for those who are only just considering a move to a .gov.uk domain. There is still a great case for moving over: costs are lower than ever before and your council and its community will benefit from a safer, more professional online presence. They encourage you to keep progressing your move to a .gov.uk domain. If you haven’t done so already, please sign up for one of their sessions to find out more.
