GOV.UK header

The GOV.UK header component tells users they’re using a service on GOV.UK and lets them use GOV.UK-wide tools. Also known as the GOV.UK masthead.

Example of the GOV.UK header component showing the refreshed GOV.UK branding:

Open this example in a new tab: header
HTML
<header class="govuk-header" data-module="govuk-header">
  <div class="govuk-header__container govuk-width-container">
    <div class="govuk-header__logo">
      <a href="#" class="govuk-header__link govuk-header__link--homepage">
        <svg
          focusable="false"
          role="img"
          xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
          viewBox="0 0 324 60"
          height="30"
          width="162"
          fill="currentcolor" class="govuk-header__logotype" aria-label="GOV.UK">
          <title>GOV.UK</title>
          <g>
            <circle cx="20" cy="17.6" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="10.2" cy="23.5" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="3.7" cy="33.2" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="31.7" cy="30.6" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="43.3" cy="17.6" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="53.2" cy="23.5" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="59.7" cy="33.2" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="31.7" cy="30.6" r="3.7" />
            <path d="M33.1,9.8c.2-.1.3-.3.5-.5l4.6,2.4v-6.8l-4.6,1.5c-.1-.2-.3-.3-.5-.5l1.9-5.9h-6.7l1.9,5.9c-.2.1-.3.3-.5.5l-4.6-1.5v6.8l4.6-2.4c.1.2.3.3.5.5l-2.6,8c-.9,2.8,1.2,5.7,4.1,5.7h0c3,0,5.1-2.9,4.1-5.7l-2.6-8ZM37,37.9s-3.4,3.8-4.1,6.1c2.2,0,4.2-.5,6.4-2.8l-.7,8.5c-2-2.8-4.4-4.1-5.7-3.8.1,3.1.5,6.7,5.8,7.2,3.7.3,6.7-1.5,7-3.8.4-2.6-2-4.3-3.7-1.6-1.4-4.5,2.4-6.1,4.9-3.2-1.9-4.5-1.8-7.7,2.4-10.9,3,4,2.6,7.3-1.2,11.1,2.4-1.3,6.2,0,4,4.6-1.2-2.8-3.7-2.2-4.2.2-.3,1.7.7,3.7,3,4.2,1.9.3,4.7-.9,7-5.9-1.3,0-2.4.7-3.9,1.7l2.4-8c.6,2.3,1.4,3.7,2.2,4.5.6-1.6.5-2.8,0-5.3l5,1.8c-2.6,3.6-5.2,8.7-7.3,17.5-7.4-1.1-15.7-1.7-24.5-1.7h0c-8.8,0-17.1.6-24.5,1.7-2.1-8.9-4.7-13.9-7.3-17.5l5-1.8c-.5,2.5-.6,3.7,0,5.3.8-.8,1.6-2.3,2.2-4.5l2.4,8c-1.5-1-2.6-1.7-3.9-1.7,2.3,5,5.2,6.2,7,5.9,2.3-.4,3.3-2.4,3-4.2-.5-2.4-3-3.1-4.2-.2-2.2-4.6,1.6-6,4-4.6-3.7-3.7-4.2-7.1-1.2-11.1,4.2,3.2,4.3,6.4,2.4,10.9,2.5-2.8,6.3-1.3,4.9,3.2-1.8-2.7-4.1-1-3.7,1.6.3,2.3,3.3,4.1,7,3.8,5.4-.5,5.7-4.2,5.8-7.2-1.3-.2-3.7,1-5.7,3.8l-.7-8.5c2.2,2.3,4.2,2.7,6.4,2.8-.7-2.3-4.1-6.1-4.1-6.1h10.6,0Z" />
          </g>
          <circle class="govuk-logo-dot" cx="226" cy="36" r="7.3" />
          <path d="M93.94 41.25c.4 1.81 1.2 3.21 2.21 4.62 1 1.4 2.21 2.41 3.61 3.21s3.21 1.2 5.22 1.2 3.61-.4 4.82-1c1.4-.6 2.41-1.4 3.21-2.41.8-1 1.4-2.01 1.61-3.01s.4-2.01.4-3.01v.14h-10.86v-7.02h20.07v24.08h-8.03v-5.56c-.6.8-1.38 1.61-2.19 2.41-.8.8-1.81 1.2-2.81 1.81-1 .4-2.21.8-3.41 1.2s-2.41.4-3.81.4a18.56 18.56 0 0 1-14.65-6.63c-1.6-2.01-3.01-4.41-3.81-7.02s-1.4-5.62-1.4-8.83.4-6.02 1.4-8.83a20.45 20.45 0 0 1 19.46-13.65c3.21 0 4.01.2 5.82.8 1.81.4 3.61 1.2 5.02 2.01 1.61.8 2.81 2.01 4.01 3.21s2.21 2.61 2.81 4.21l-7.63 4.41c-.4-1-1-1.81-1.61-2.61-.6-.8-1.4-1.4-2.21-2.01-.8-.6-1.81-1-2.81-1.4-1-.4-2.21-.4-3.61-.4-2.01 0-3.81.4-5.22 1.2-1.4.8-2.61 1.81-3.61 3.21s-1.61 2.81-2.21 4.62c-.4 1.81-.6 3.71-.6 5.42s.8 5.22.8 5.22Zm57.8-27.9c3.21 0 6.22.6 8.63 1.81 2.41 1.2 4.82 2.81 6.62 4.82S170.2 24.39 171 27s1.4 5.62 1.4 8.83-.4 6.02-1.4 8.83-2.41 5.02-4.01 7.02-4.01 3.61-6.62 4.82-5.42 1.81-8.63 1.81-6.22-.6-8.63-1.81-4.82-2.81-6.42-4.82-3.21-4.41-4.01-7.02-1.4-5.62-1.4-8.83.4-6.02 1.4-8.83 2.41-5.02 4.01-7.02 4.01-3.61 6.42-4.82 5.42-1.81 8.63-1.81Zm0 36.73c1.81 0 3.61-.4 5.02-1s2.61-1.81 3.61-3.01 1.81-2.81 2.21-4.41c.4-1.81.8-3.61.8-5.62 0-2.21-.2-4.21-.8-6.02s-1.2-3.21-2.21-4.62c-1-1.2-2.21-2.21-3.61-3.01s-3.21-1-5.02-1-3.61.4-5.02 1c-1.4.8-2.61 1.81-3.61 3.01s-1.81 2.81-2.21 4.62c-.4 1.81-.8 3.61-.8 5.62 0 2.41.2 4.21.8 6.02.4 1.81 1.2 3.21 2.21 4.41s2.21 2.21 3.61 3.01c1.4.8 3.21 1 5.02 1Zm36.32 7.96-12.24-44.15h9.83l8.43 32.77h.4l8.23-32.77h9.83L200.3 58.04h-12.24Zm74.14-7.96c2.18 0 3.51-.6 3.51-.6 1.2-.6 2.01-1 2.81-1.81s1.4-1.81 1.81-2.81a13 13 0 0 0 .8-4.01V13.9h8.63v28.15c0 2.41-.4 4.62-1.4 6.62-.8 2.01-2.21 3.61-3.61 5.02s-3.41 2.41-5.62 3.21-4.62 1.2-7.02 1.2-5.02-.4-7.02-1.2c-2.21-.8-4.01-1.81-5.62-3.21s-2.81-3.01-3.61-5.02-1.4-4.21-1.4-6.62V13.9h8.63v26.95c0 1.61.2 3.01.8 4.01.4 1.2 1.2 2.21 2.01 2.81.8.8 1.81 1.4 2.81 1.81 0 0 1.34.6 3.51.6Zm34.22-36.18v18.92l15.65-18.92h10.82l-15.03 17.32 16.03 26.83h-10.21l-11.44-20.21-5.62 6.22v13.99h-8.83V13.9" />
        </svg>
      </a>
    </div>
  </div>
</header>
Nunjucks
Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description. Deprecated options are marked as “Deprecated”.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Primary options
Name Type Description
homepageUrl string The URL of the homepage. Defaults to "/".
productName string Product name, used when the product name follows on directly from ‘GOV.UK’. For example, GOV.UK Pay or GOV.UK Design System. In most circumstances, you should use serviceName.
serviceName string Deprecated in 5.9.0

The name of your service, included in the header.
serviceUrl string Deprecated in 5.9.0

URL for the service name anchor.
navigation array Deprecated in 5.9.0

Can be used to add navigation to the header component. See macro options for navigation.
navigationClasses string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Classes for the navigation section of the header.
navigationLabel string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Text for the aria-label attribute of the navigation. Defaults to the same value as menuButtonText.
menuButtonLabel string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Text for the aria-label attribute of the button that opens the mobile navigation, if there is a mobile navigation menu.
menuButtonText string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Text of the button that opens the mobile navigation menu, if there is a mobile navigation menu. There is no enforced character limit, but there is a limited display space so keep text as short as possible. By default, this is set to ‘Menu’.
containerClasses string Classes for the container, useful if you want to make the header fixed width.
classes string Classes to add to the header container.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the header container.
useTudorCrown boolean Deprecated in 5.2.0

If true, uses the Tudor crown from King Charles III’s royal cypher. Otherwise, uses the St. Edward’s crown. Default is true.
rebrand boolean If true, use the redesigned header and new GOV.UK logotype. Default is false.
Options for navigation array objects
Name Type Description
text string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Required. Text for the navigation item. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Required. HTML for the navigation item. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
href string Deprecated in 5.9.0

URL of the navigation item anchor.
active boolean Deprecated in 5.9.0

Flag to mark the navigation item as active or not.
attributes object Deprecated in 5.9.0

HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the navigation item anchor. 
{% from "govuk/components/header/macro.njk" import govukHeader %}

{{ govukHeader({
  homepageUrl: "#"
}) }}

Example of the GOV.UK header component showing GOV.UK branding before June 2025:

If you use the page template, you’ll also get the GOV.UK header without having to add it, as it’s included by default. However, if you want to customise the default GOV.UK header, read the page template guidance about customising components.

When to use this component

If your service is being hosted on one of these domains, use the GOV.UK header component:

  • gov.uk/[myservice]
  • [myservice].service.gov.uk
  • [myblog].blog.gov.uk

You must use the GOV.UK header component at the top of every page. The Service Manual explains why it’s important for you to make your service look like GOV.UK.

When not to use this component

If your service is not hosted on one of the gov.uk domains outlined, you must not use the GOV.UK header component as it’s not considered part of GOV.UK.

You can still build from this component, but you’ll need to make some changes to make sure users do not confuse your website with GOV.UK.

How it works

Together, the GOV.UK header and Service navigation component both ensure users get a consistent experience on GOV.UK.

This also assures users that they’re in the right place to use your service and to understand that GOV.UK functions as one website.

For guidance on how to plan your header and navigation, see the Help users navigate a service pattern.

Default GOV.UK header

Most services on GOV.UK should use the default GOV.UK header.

It should only show the GOV.UK logo and any GOV.UK-wide links and tools to help your users. Do not add the menu of GOV.UK topic links to your service’s GOV.UK header.

Open this example in a new tab: header second
HTML
<header class="govuk-header" data-module="govuk-header">
  <div class="govuk-header__container govuk-width-container">
    <div class="govuk-header__logo">
      <a href="#" class="govuk-header__link govuk-header__link--homepage">
        <svg
          focusable="false"
          role="img"
          xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
          viewBox="0 0 324 60"
          height="30"
          width="162"
          fill="currentcolor" class="govuk-header__logotype" aria-label="GOV.UK">
          <title>GOV.UK</title>
          <g>
            <circle cx="20" cy="17.6" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="10.2" cy="23.5" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="3.7" cy="33.2" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="31.7" cy="30.6" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="43.3" cy="17.6" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="53.2" cy="23.5" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="59.7" cy="33.2" r="3.7" />
            <circle cx="31.7" cy="30.6" r="3.7" />
            <path d="M33.1,9.8c.2-.1.3-.3.5-.5l4.6,2.4v-6.8l-4.6,1.5c-.1-.2-.3-.3-.5-.5l1.9-5.9h-6.7l1.9,5.9c-.2.1-.3.3-.5.5l-4.6-1.5v6.8l4.6-2.4c.1.2.3.3.5.5l-2.6,8c-.9,2.8,1.2,5.7,4.1,5.7h0c3,0,5.1-2.9,4.1-5.7l-2.6-8ZM37,37.9s-3.4,3.8-4.1,6.1c2.2,0,4.2-.5,6.4-2.8l-.7,8.5c-2-2.8-4.4-4.1-5.7-3.8.1,3.1.5,6.7,5.8,7.2,3.7.3,6.7-1.5,7-3.8.4-2.6-2-4.3-3.7-1.6-1.4-4.5,2.4-6.1,4.9-3.2-1.9-4.5-1.8-7.7,2.4-10.9,3,4,2.6,7.3-1.2,11.1,2.4-1.3,6.2,0,4,4.6-1.2-2.8-3.7-2.2-4.2.2-.3,1.7.7,3.7,3,4.2,1.9.3,4.7-.9,7-5.9-1.3,0-2.4.7-3.9,1.7l2.4-8c.6,2.3,1.4,3.7,2.2,4.5.6-1.6.5-2.8,0-5.3l5,1.8c-2.6,3.6-5.2,8.7-7.3,17.5-7.4-1.1-15.7-1.7-24.5-1.7h0c-8.8,0-17.1.6-24.5,1.7-2.1-8.9-4.7-13.9-7.3-17.5l5-1.8c-.5,2.5-.6,3.7,0,5.3.8-.8,1.6-2.3,2.2-4.5l2.4,8c-1.5-1-2.6-1.7-3.9-1.7,2.3,5,5.2,6.2,7,5.9,2.3-.4,3.3-2.4,3-4.2-.5-2.4-3-3.1-4.2-.2-2.2-4.6,1.6-6,4-4.6-3.7-3.7-4.2-7.1-1.2-11.1,4.2,3.2,4.3,6.4,2.4,10.9,2.5-2.8,6.3-1.3,4.9,3.2-1.8-2.7-4.1-1-3.7,1.6.3,2.3,3.3,4.1,7,3.8,5.4-.5,5.7-4.2,5.8-7.2-1.3-.2-3.7,1-5.7,3.8l-.7-8.5c2.2,2.3,4.2,2.7,6.4,2.8-.7-2.3-4.1-6.1-4.1-6.1h10.6,0Z" />
          </g>
          <circle class="govuk-logo-dot" cx="226" cy="36" r="7.3" />
          <path d="M93.94 41.25c.4 1.81 1.2 3.21 2.21 4.62 1 1.4 2.21 2.41 3.61 3.21s3.21 1.2 5.22 1.2 3.61-.4 4.82-1c1.4-.6 2.41-1.4 3.21-2.41.8-1 1.4-2.01 1.61-3.01s.4-2.01.4-3.01v.14h-10.86v-7.02h20.07v24.08h-8.03v-5.56c-.6.8-1.38 1.61-2.19 2.41-.8.8-1.81 1.2-2.81 1.81-1 .4-2.21.8-3.41 1.2s-2.41.4-3.81.4a18.56 18.56 0 0 1-14.65-6.63c-1.6-2.01-3.01-4.41-3.81-7.02s-1.4-5.62-1.4-8.83.4-6.02 1.4-8.83a20.45 20.45 0 0 1 19.46-13.65c3.21 0 4.01.2 5.82.8 1.81.4 3.61 1.2 5.02 2.01 1.61.8 2.81 2.01 4.01 3.21s2.21 2.61 2.81 4.21l-7.63 4.41c-.4-1-1-1.81-1.61-2.61-.6-.8-1.4-1.4-2.21-2.01-.8-.6-1.81-1-2.81-1.4-1-.4-2.21-.4-3.61-.4-2.01 0-3.81.4-5.22 1.2-1.4.8-2.61 1.81-3.61 3.21s-1.61 2.81-2.21 4.62c-.4 1.81-.6 3.71-.6 5.42s.8 5.22.8 5.22Zm57.8-27.9c3.21 0 6.22.6 8.63 1.81 2.41 1.2 4.82 2.81 6.62 4.82S170.2 24.39 171 27s1.4 5.62 1.4 8.83-.4 6.02-1.4 8.83-2.41 5.02-4.01 7.02-4.01 3.61-6.62 4.82-5.42 1.81-8.63 1.81-6.22-.6-8.63-1.81-4.82-2.81-6.42-4.82-3.21-4.41-4.01-7.02-1.4-5.62-1.4-8.83.4-6.02 1.4-8.83 2.41-5.02 4.01-7.02 4.01-3.61 6.42-4.82 5.42-1.81 8.63-1.81Zm0 36.73c1.81 0 3.61-.4 5.02-1s2.61-1.81 3.61-3.01 1.81-2.81 2.21-4.41c.4-1.81.8-3.61.8-5.62 0-2.21-.2-4.21-.8-6.02s-1.2-3.21-2.21-4.62c-1-1.2-2.21-2.21-3.61-3.01s-3.21-1-5.02-1-3.61.4-5.02 1c-1.4.8-2.61 1.81-3.61 3.01s-1.81 2.81-2.21 4.62c-.4 1.81-.8 3.61-.8 5.62 0 2.41.2 4.21.8 6.02.4 1.81 1.2 3.21 2.21 4.41s2.21 2.21 3.61 3.01c1.4.8 3.21 1 5.02 1Zm36.32 7.96-12.24-44.15h9.83l8.43 32.77h.4l8.23-32.77h9.83L200.3 58.04h-12.24Zm74.14-7.96c2.18 0 3.51-.6 3.51-.6 1.2-.6 2.01-1 2.81-1.81s1.4-1.81 1.81-2.81a13 13 0 0 0 .8-4.01V13.9h8.63v28.15c0 2.41-.4 4.62-1.4 6.62-.8 2.01-2.21 3.61-3.61 5.02s-3.41 2.41-5.62 3.21-4.62 1.2-7.02 1.2-5.02-.4-7.02-1.2c-2.21-.8-4.01-1.81-5.62-3.21s-2.81-3.01-3.61-5.02-1.4-4.21-1.4-6.62V13.9h8.63v26.95c0 1.61.2 3.01.8 4.01.4 1.2 1.2 2.21 2.01 2.81.8.8 1.81 1.4 2.81 1.81 0 0 1.34.6 3.51.6Zm34.22-36.18v18.92l15.65-18.92h10.82l-15.03 17.32 16.03 26.83h-10.21l-11.44-20.21-5.62 6.22v13.99h-8.83V13.9" />
        </svg>
      </a>
    </div>
  </div>
</header>
Nunjucks
Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description. Deprecated options are marked as “Deprecated”.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Primary options
Name Type Description
homepageUrl string The URL of the homepage. Defaults to "/".
productName string Product name, used when the product name follows on directly from ‘GOV.UK’. For example, GOV.UK Pay or GOV.UK Design System. In most circumstances, you should use serviceName.
serviceName string Deprecated in 5.9.0

The name of your service, included in the header.
serviceUrl string Deprecated in 5.9.0

URL for the service name anchor.
navigation array Deprecated in 5.9.0

Can be used to add navigation to the header component. See macro options for navigation.
navigationClasses string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Classes for the navigation section of the header.
navigationLabel string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Text for the aria-label attribute of the navigation. Defaults to the same value as menuButtonText.
menuButtonLabel string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Text for the aria-label attribute of the button that opens the mobile navigation, if there is a mobile navigation menu.
menuButtonText string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Text of the button that opens the mobile navigation menu, if there is a mobile navigation menu. There is no enforced character limit, but there is a limited display space so keep text as short as possible. By default, this is set to ‘Menu’.
containerClasses string Classes for the container, useful if you want to make the header fixed width.
classes string Classes to add to the header container.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the header container.
useTudorCrown boolean Deprecated in 5.2.0

If true, uses the Tudor crown from King Charles III’s royal cypher. Otherwise, uses the St. Edward’s crown. Default is true.
rebrand boolean If true, use the redesigned header and new GOV.UK logotype. Default is false.
Options for navigation array objects
Name Type Description
text string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Required. Text for the navigation item. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
html string Deprecated in 5.9.0

Required. HTML for the navigation item. If html is provided, the text option will be ignored.
href string Deprecated in 5.9.0

URL of the navigation item anchor.
active boolean Deprecated in 5.9.0

Flag to mark the navigation item as active or not.
attributes object Deprecated in 5.9.0

HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the navigation item anchor. 
{% from "govuk/components/header/macro.njk" import govukHeader %}

{{ govukHeader({
  homepageUrl: "#"
}) }}

Previous variants of the GOV.UK header

The GOV.UK header component was originally released with 2 variants:

  • with service name
  • with service name and navigation

These 2 variants will be removed from the GOV.UK header component in the next breaking release of GOV.UK Frontend.

In August 2024, we introduced a separate Service navigation component. This is to better help users understand that they’re using your service and let them navigate around your service.

We recommend using the Service navigation component to show your service name and navigation links instead of the GOV.UK header, and to start updating existing services.

See the Help users navigate a service pattern for more guidance.

GOV.UK header with service name

We’ve deprecated the GOV.UK header with service name and will remove this option in the next breaking release of GOV.UK Frontend.

Use the Service navigation component to show your service name instead. We recommend teams to start updating existing services.

GOV.UK header with navigation

We’ve deprecated the GOV.UK header with navigation and will remove this option in the next breaking release of GOV.UK Frontend.

Use the Service navigation component to add navigation links instead.

GOV.UK header with One Login

GOV.UK One Login maintains their own header on the Let users navigate to their GOV.UK One Login and sign out easily page.

Brand refresh of the GOV.UK header component

In June 2025, we updated this component to support a wider refresh of the GOV.UK brand.

The updated GOV.UK header component:

  • uses blue as the background colour, instead of black
  • uses a refreshed GOV.UK logo and wordmark lockup
  • extends to a height of 60px, instead of 50px with a 10px bottom border

To help teams refresh the GOV.UK brand in their services, we released GOV.UK Frontend v5.10.0 (and later fix versions). For teams on earlier versions, we released GOV.UK Frontend v4.10.0

To see more details and how to update, you can read the release notes for GOV.UK Frontend v5.10.0 and release notes for GOV.UK Frontend v4.10.0.

Research on this component

See the research section in the Help users navigate a service pattern for a summary of our research on the GOV.UK header and navigation, and how you can share your feedback with us.

Help improve this component

To help make sure that this page is useful, relevant and up to date, you can:

Need help?

If you’ve got a question about the GOV.UK Design System, contact the team.