Page structure

Layout

Screen size

Design for small screens first, starting with a single-column layout.

For most types of page, we recommend using either a ‘two-thirds’ or a ‘two-thirds and one-third’ layout. That stops lines of text getting so long that the page becomes difficult to read on desktop devices. This would usually mean no more than 75 characters per line.

Never make assumptions about what devices people are using. Design for different screen sizes rather than specific devices.

The default maximum page width is 1020px, but you can make it wider if your content requires it.

Common layouts

Two-thirds

HTML

<div class="govuk-width-container">
  <a href="#" class="govuk-back-link">Back</a>
  <main class="govuk-main-wrapper">
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl">Two-thirds column</h1>
        <p class="govuk-body">This is a paragraph inside a two-thirds wide column</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </main>
</div>

Two-thirds and one-third

HTML

<div class="govuk-width-container">
  <a href="#" class="govuk-back-link">Back</a>
  <main class="govuk-main-wrapper">
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl">Two-thirds column</h1>
        <p class="govuk-body">This is a paragraph inside a two-thirds wide column</p>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-third">
        <h2 class="govuk-heading-m">One-third column</h2>
        <p class="govuk-body">This is a paragraph inside a one-third wide column</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </main>
</div>

Row 1: Two-thirds
Row 2: Two-thirds and one-third

HTML

<div class="govuk-width-container">
  <a href="#" class="govuk-back-link">Back</a>
  <main class="govuk-main-wrapper">
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl">Two-thirds column</h1>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h2 class="govuk-heading-l">Two-thirds column</h2>
        <p class="govuk-body-l">This is a lead paragraph inside a two-thirds wide column</p>
        <p class="govuk-body">This is a paragraph inside a two-thirds wide column</p>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-third">
        <h3 class="govuk-heading-m">One-third column</h3>
        <p class="govuk-body">This is a paragraph inside a one-third wide column</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </main>
</div>

Setting up page wrappers

If you want to build your layout from scratch, or understand what each of the parts are responsible for, here’s an explanation of how the page wrappers work.

Limiting width of content

To set up your layout you will need to create 2 wrappers. The first should have the class govuk-width-container, which sets the maximum width of the content but does not add any vertical margin or padding.

If your design requires them, you should place components such as the Breadcrumbs component, Back link component and Phase banner component inside this wrapper so that they sit directly underneath the header.

Add vertical space

Within govuk-width-container you should add the govuk-main-wrapper class to your <main> element. This adds responsive padding to the top and bottom of the page and will be the container for your main content.

If you’re not using the Breadcrumbs component, Back link component or Phase banner component in your design, add the correct amount of vertical padding above the content by adding one of the following to your <main> element:

the govuk-main-wrapper--auto-spacing class
the govuk-main-wrapper--l class - if govuk-main-wrapper--auto-spacing does not work for your service

Exploded view of page wrappers

HTML

<div class="govuk-width-container">
  <a href="#" class="govuk-back-link">Back</a>
  <main class="govuk-main-wrapper">
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl">Page title</h1>
      </div>
    </div>
  </main>
</div>

Exploded view of page wrappers without a back link, breadcrumbs or phase banner

HTML

<div class="govuk-width-container">
  <main class="govuk-main-wrapper govuk-main-wrapper--l">
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl">Page title</h1>
      </div>
    </div>
  </main>
</div>

Using the grid system

Use the grid system to lay out the content on your service’s pages.

Most GOV.UK pages follow a ‘two-thirds and one-third’ layout, but the grid system allows for a number of additional combinations when necessary.

Your main content should always be in a two-thirds column even if you’re not using a corresponding one-third column for secondary content.

Understanding the grid system

The grid is structured with a govuk-grid-row wrapper which acts as a row to contain your grid columns.

You can add columns inside this wrapper to create your layout. To define your columns add the class beginning with govuk-grid-column- to a new container followed by the width, for example govuk-grid-column-one-third to apply your desired width.

The available widths are:

Full width

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-full">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-full</p>
  </div>
</div>

One-half

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half</p>
  </div>
</div>

One-third

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-third">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-third</p>
  </div>
</div>

Two-thirds

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-two-thirds</p>
  </div>
</div>

One-quarter

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-quarter">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-quarter</p>
  </div>
</div>

Three-quarters

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-three-quarters">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-three-quarters</p>
  </div>
</div>

Example combinations

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-full">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-full</p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half</p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-two-thirds</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-third">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-third</p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-third">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-third</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-two-thirds</p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-three-quarters">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-three-quarters</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-quarter">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-quarter</p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-quarter">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-quarter</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-three-quarters">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-three-quarters</p>
  </div>
</div>

Desktop specific grid classes

To specify a width at the desktop breakpoint you can use the desktop specific grid classes. For example govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop will set your column width to be two-thirds width at the desktop breakpoint only.

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-third-from-desktop">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-third-from-desktop</p>
  </div>
</div>

The desktop specific classes also allow you to set the width of the tablet breakpoint by using them in combination with the standard grid classes. For example using govuk-grid-column-one-half and govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop together will mean the column will be one-half at the tablet breakpoint and two-thirds width at desktop.

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half<br><br>govuk-grid-column-two-thirds-from-desktop</p>
  </div>
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half govuk-grid-column-one-third-from-desktop">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half<br><br>govuk-grid-column-one-third-from-desktop</p>
  </div>
</div>

Nested grids

HTML

<div class="govuk-grid-row">
  <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
    <p>govuk-grid-column-two-thirds</p>
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half">
        <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half</p>
      </div>
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-one-half">
        <p>govuk-grid-column-one-half</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Width override classes

If you need to constrain the width of an element independently of the grid system, you can use width override classes.

The width override classes start with govuk-!-width-, followed by the width on larger screen sizes. For example, govuk-!-width-one-half will apply a width of 50% and govuk-!-width-two-thirdswill apply a width of 66.66%.

These examples are for the generic width override classes - read specific guidance on setting text input width.

HTML

<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="full">
    Full width
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-full" id="full" name="full" type="text">
</div>
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="three-quarters">
    Three-quarters width
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-three-quarters" id="three-quarters" name="threeQuarters" type="text">
</div>
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="two-thirds">
    Two-thirds width
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-two-thirds" id="two-thirds" name="twoThirds" type="text">
</div>
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="one-half">
    One-half width
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-one-half" id="one-half" name="oneHalf" type="text">
</div>
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="one-third">
    One-third width
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-one-third" id="one-third" name="oneThird" type="text">
</div>
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="one-quarter">
    One-quarter width
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-input govuk-!-width-one-quarter" id="one-quarter" name="oneQuarter" type="text">
</div>

Override how elements display

You can use display override classes if you need to override how elements display on the page.

Use:

govuk-!-display-block to display as a block
govuk-!-display-inline to display inline
govuk-!-display-inline-block to display as an inline block
govuk-!-display-none to remove the element from the page

You can also remove elements from the printed version of the page using govuk-!-display-none-print.

Hide elements and keep them accessible to screen readers

You can stop elements from being displayed on the page and keep their contents available to screen readers using govuk-visually-hidden. You can use this to present content to screen reader users that sighted users do not need.

If the element is focusable, such as a link, you can make it become visible when receiving keyboard focus using govuk-visually-hidden-focusable.

Help improve this style

If you spot a problem with this guidance you can propose a change.

If you’re not sure how to do this, read guidance on how to propose changes in GitHub.

Need help?

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