Moving over to a .gov.uk domain? A new way to contact the Parish Council Domains Helper Service

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is working with the Central Digital and Data Office to support the Parish Council Domains Helper Service to help local (parish and town) councils move to a .gov.uk domain.

There is now a new way to contact the Parish Council Domains Helper Service and kick-start moving to a .gov.uk domain. Complete the simple form to register your interest, and the Parish Council Domains Helper Service will invite you to one of the introductory sessions.

The introductory sessions are all virtual and last about 45 minutes. You can pick a date and time that is most convenient for you. The Parish Council Domains Helper Service is currently booking through March 2024 but is constantly adding new sessions. So even if moving to a .gov.uk domain is something your council is considering later, there will be opportunities to engage throughout the year.

Since launching the Parish Council Domains Helper Service in January 2024, nearly 300 councils have registered their interest, and around half have attended one of the introductory sessions.

Any council moving ahead with a .gov.uk domain will receive help and guidance at every stage, from getting the green light and picking the best Approved Domain Registrar to set up your new domain and maintaining good practices after going live. The Parish Council Domains Helper Service will also tell you how to access the £100 (plus VAT) funding to help with initial costs.