Government’s ambitions for AI-enabled, digitally responsive public services are accelerating.
But much of the public sector is still operating on ageing digital infrastructure never designed for the demands of today’s world.
A new report from Re:State, supported by Ark Data Centres, explores how legacy IT has become more than simply a technical challenge. It is now affecting operational resilience, cyber security, energy efficiency, procurement flexibility and the government’s ability to modernise at pace.
The scale of the issue is significant:
• 1 in 4 government systems are now considered high risk
• Some NHS trusts and police forces are operating with legacy exposure levels as high as 70%
• Around half of central government IT spend is now directed toward maintaining existing systems
• Government estimates digital transformation could unlock up to £45bn in productivity benefits
The report argues that legacy IT should no longer be viewed as a departmental technology problem, but as a systemic national challenge requiring coordinated leadership, long-term infrastructure thinking and a more preventative approach to modernisation.
Importantly, the paper also outlines a practical route forward — including stronger cross-government leadership, improved commercial models and shared infrastructure approaches that can help modernise services more effectively.
One example highlighted is Crown Hosting Data Centres, the joint venture between the Cabinet Office and Ark Data Centres, which has helped public sector organisations reduce operational cost, improve resilience and lower energy consumption through shared infrastructure.
Modern public services require modern foundations.
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