Proof Digital / AI Readiness / AI readiness for councils
Councils are under pressure to use AI to cut backlogs, save money and improve services. Many are already trying tools, often without a clear plan. Our free assessment, built on the government's AI Playbook, gives you an honest baseline before you commit budget.
AI can make a real difference to council services, from handling routine enquiries to cutting the admin load on caseworkers. But when adoption runs ahead of readiness, councils have more to lose than most.
Housing, benefits, social care and homelessness services support people in difficult circumstances. A tool that works for most people can fail the ones who matter most.
Without clear rules, sensitive resident data can end up in tools that were never approved for it.
Poor data, unclear ownership and missing skills stop promising ideas from ever reaching live services.
One badly handled automated decision can undo years of work with communities.
Being ready doesn't mean being cautious. It means knowing where AI will genuinely help, where it won't, and what needs to be true before you start.
Written in plain English so a head of service can answer in one sitting. Your report is ready the moment you finish, and you can share it with colleagues or take it to your leadership team.
From Aware to Embedded, with a plain description of what that level looks like in practice.
Six areas scored out of four, with the weakest one marked as the place to start.
The three answers holding you back most, each shown against what good looks like, plus a suggested first step.
The Playbook was written for central government, but its ten principles apply just as much to councils. Mapping your results to them means they stand up in front of members, a scrutiny committee or your leadership team.
Is there a mandate, an owner and money for AI?
Is AI aimed at real problems your residents and staff have?
Do you know where your data lives, who owns it, and whether it's fit to use?
DPIAs, human oversight, transparency records and checks for bias and harm.
Training, guidance on public AI tools, and how staff really feel about AI.
Procurement, security approval, platforms, and the AI already inside your software.
Source: AI Playbook for the UK Government, GOV.UK. More about how the assessment works.
The assessment is free and yours to keep. If you'd like help acting on it, each step builds on the last, and each is fixed scope and fixed price.
A scored baseline across six areas, your biggest gaps and a suggested first step.
Start the assessment →A facilitated session with your leadership team, followed by a short report.
One to three of your services, looked at with staff and residents.
Design and test one use case properly, so it can scale with confidence.
Prices exclude VAT and are agreed up front once scoped. Proof Digital is an appointed supplier on RM6200 (AI DPS) and RM6126 (Research DPS), and smaller work can be bought by quick quote or purchase order. Around 20 years of service design across HMCTS, HMRC, DWP and DfE, and in local government digital teams.
Yes. There's no charge and no sign-up. You see your results as soon as you finish. If you want help acting on them, the workshop, Discovery and pilot support are paid services, but there's no obligation.
No. Your answers stay in your own browser and aren't sent to us. We only receive your details if you choose to have the report emailed to you. In that case we keep it for up to 12 months, and we never add you to a mailing list or share your details. Read the privacy notice.
It's guidance published by the UK government setting out ten principles for using AI safely, responsibly and effectively in the public sector. It was written for central government, but its principles apply equally to councils.
Anyone who knows how a service runs day to day: a head of service, service manager, digital or transformation lead, or a director. You can answer for the whole council or just one service. It can also be useful for several colleagues to take it separately and compare results.
Yes. It's often most valuable before you commit budget, because it shows what needs to be in place first.
Free, instant, and built on the government AI Playbook. Your results stay with you.
Prefer to talk? hello@proofdigital.co.uk