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Infrastructure

· 9 checks — DNS, redirects, IPv6, crawlability, URL variants, and domain intelligence rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
85
GRADE
B
FIX
0
REVIEW
4
PASS
5
INFO
0
Probed from Madrid, Spain
302 Found
Checks
9
5 PASS 4 REVIEW
C
IPv6 Readiness
Action
No IPv6 support
REVIEW
No IPv6 support
Info::
No IPv6 (AAAA) records found
IPv6 support is increasingly important for global accessibility. About 40% of internet users have IPv6 connectivity.
No IPv6 Support
About 40% of internet users have IPv6. Consider adding AAAA records.

IPv6 support is increasingly important for global accessibility. About 40% of internet users have IPv6 connectivity.

Why this matters

No AAAA records — same impact as 'no IPv6 (AAAA) records'; IPv6-preferring clients pay extra latency falling back to IPv4.

Source: Google IPv6 stats

C
Crawlability
Action
robots.txt present, sitemap with 0 URLs
REVIEW
robots.txt present, sitemap with 0 URLs
Info::
robots.txt is present
Got: 10240 bytes
Info::
sitemap.xml is present
Warning::
sitemap.xml contains invalid XML
Search engines may not be able to parse the sitemap. Fix XML validation errors.
Warning::
sitemap.xml is empty — no URLs found
An empty sitemap provides no value. Add <url> entries for your pages.
Info::
robots.txt does not reference a sitemap
Add a 'Sitemap:' directive to robots.txt so search engines can discover your sitemap.

Search engines may not be able to parse the sitemap. Fix XML validation errors.

Why this matters

An unparseable sitemap is silently ignored by Google — the URLs it advertises are never queued for crawl.

Learn more ▾

Google's sitemap parser is strict about XML validity. A single unescaped `&` or unclosed tag invalidates the whole file. Run your sitemap through a validator (Search Console's Sitemaps report flags it) and fix the offending entry. Most generators escape correctly; mistakes usually come from manually-written entries.

Source: sitemaps.org / Google Search Central

An empty sitemap provides no value. Add <url> entries for your pages.

Why this matters

An empty sitemap signals 'no content to index' to Google — actively harmful versus having no sitemap at all.

Learn more ▾

Google compares URLs in the sitemap against URLs it has crawled. An empty sitemap on a site with thousands of pages signals abandonment. Either populate it correctly (most CMSes auto-generate) or delete the file and let Google crawl normally.

Source: Google Search Central / sitemaps.org

Add a 'Sitemap:' directive to robots.txt so search engines can discover your sitemap.

Why this matters

robots.txt omits Sitemap: directive — crawlers must fetch /sitemap.xml by convention; reliable but missing the explicit hint.

Source: sitemaps.org

robots.txt 200 OK
Size 10240 B Sitemaps referenced 0 User-agents Blocking No — crawling allowed


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html class="govuk-template govuk-template--rebranded" lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title lang="en">Welcome to GOV.UK</title>

    <script src="/assets/frontend/govuk_publishing_components/vendor/lux/lux-measurer-d66192b1b665d415e1874e49a48138b7ae339548aa6cdb8687c7f9933e72b969.js" async="async"></script>
    <script src="/assets/frontend/govuk_publishing_components/rum-custom-data-b9e1806d1da2fa8ef1855d01aa71ba5eb0afc010dd2c4de3672cc7c7a39b0c8c.js" type="module"></script>
    <script src="/assets/frontend/govuk_publishing_components/rum-loader-a65b10e18ceeba3bd8a2eac507c7f2c513cdc82f35097df903fdea87f1dc2e33.js" async="async" data-lux-reporter-script="/assets/frontend/govuk_publishing_components/vendor/lux/lux-reporter-16e474d53ab9842457c92448e9ea0e6faea553d7b8250f940eec8c50285b48af.js"></script>

    <meta name="govuk:components_gem_version" content="65.2.2">
    <script src="/assets/frontend/govuk_publishing_components/load-analytics-79a977bd852f5a521fd985f15017e47a032bab5cc877b5ac11678a2d40d99f49.js" type="module"></script>

    <meta name="csrf-param" content="authenticity_token" />
<meta name="csrf-token" content="_nJ-efWYMjoHiK-zhnQ3JzCUkC8Q6ud-4gNZtlQUBg-i-DwOiybEhFDGVxOg_Qj39-5rJ-4UABdEczp4xKJNVA" />

    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/assets/frontend/application-6e85cd8055c5001deff4f2121849990c359f2e9ce33f89c8e7e6bca2afaf323c.css" media="all" />
    <link rel="icon" sizes="48x48" href="/assets/frontend/favicon-24f9fbe064118d58937932e73edafd1d50cb60f7bd84f52308382a309bc2d655.ico">
    <link rel="icon" sizes="any" href="/assets/frontend/favicon-d962d21b5bb443f546c097ea21b567cde639adef7370da45be5e349ba8d62d33.svg" type="image/svg+xml">
    <link rel="mask-icon" href="/assets/frontend/govuk-icon-mask-cdf4265165f8d7f9eec54aa2c1dfbb3d8b6d297c5d7919f0313e0836a5804bb6.svg" color="#1d70b8">
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/assets/frontend/govuk-icon-180-d45a306f0549414cfa5085f16e4a3816a77558b139e5bc226f23162d1d0decb0.png">

    <meta name="theme-color" content="#1d70b8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

    <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.gov.uk/assets/frontend/govuk-opengraph-image-4196a4d6333cf92aaf720047f56cfd91b3532d7635fc21ebcf0d5897df6b5f77.png">

      <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.gov.uk/">
  <meta name="title" property="og:title" content="Welcome to GOV.UK">
  <meta name="description" property="og:description" content="GOV.UK - The best place to find government services and information.">
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/assets/frontend/views/_homepage-64a9f4f542bbda5bcdae1df09ea442583c3981460eb5cd3be12e18ba1885ba31.css" media="all" />

  <meta name="csp-nonce" content="6X1XehHAuA9jXBgzo1r3Ow==" />
  <link title="Search" rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/search/opensearch.xml">
  
  <meta name="govuk:format" content="homepage">
  <meta name="govuk:publishing-app" content="publishing-api">
  <meta name="govuk:rendering-app" content="frontend">
  <meta name="govuk:schema-name" content="homepage">
  <meta name="govuk:content-id" content="f3bbdec2-0e62-4520-a7fd-6ffd5d36e03a">
  <meta name="govuk:ga4-base-path" content="/">
  <meta name="govuk:first-published-at" content="2016-02-26T11:53:52+00:00">
  <meta name="govuk:updated-at" content="2026-02-18T13:00:24+00:00">
  <meta name="govuk:public-updated-at" content="2026-02-18T13:00:23+00:00">
  <meta name="govuk:primary-publishing-organisation" content="Government Digital Service">
  <meta name="govuk:organisations" content="&lt;OT1056&gt;">



  
  

  </head>
  <body class="gem-c-layout-for-public govuk-template__body">
    <script nonce="6X1XehHAuA9jXBgzo1r3Ow==">
//<![CDATA[
      document.body.className += ' js-enabled' + ('noModule' in HTMLScriptElement.prototype ? ' govuk-frontend-supported' : '');

//]]>
</script>      
<div id="global-cookie-message" data-module="cookie-banner" data-nosnippet="" aria-label="Cookies on GOV.UK" class="gem-c-cookie-banner govuk-clearfix govuk-cookie-banner js-banner-wrapper" role="region" hidden="hidden">
  <div class="govuk-cookie-banner__message govuk-width-container">
    <div class="govuk-grid-row">
      <div class="govuk-grid-column-two-thirds">
        <h2 class="govuk-cookie-banner__heading govuk-heading-m">Cookies on GOV.UK</h2>
        <div tabindex="-1" class="govuk-cookie-banner__content gem-c-cookie-banner__confirmation">
          <div class="gem-c-cookie-banner__content"><p class='govuk-body'>We use some essential cookies to make this website work.</p><p class='govuk-body'>We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.</p><p class='govuk-body'>We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.</p></div>
          <p class="gem-c-cookie-banner__confirmation-message--accepted govuk-body" hidden
            data-ga4-cookie-banner 
            data-module="ga4-link-tracker"
            data-ga4-track-links-only
            data-ga4-set-indexes
            data-ga4-link='{"event_name":"navigation","type":"cookie banner","section":"You have accepted additional cookies"}'
          >You have accepted additional cookies. <span class="gem-c-cookie-banner__confirmation-message">You can <a class="govuk-link" href="/help/cookies">change your cookie settings</a> at any time.</span></p>
          <p class="gem-c-cookie-banner__confirmation-message--rejected govuk-body" hidden>You have rejected additional cookies. <span class="gem-c-cookie-banner__confirmation-message">You can <a class="govuk-link" href="/help/cookies">change your cookie settings</a> at any time.</span></p>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div class="js-confirmation-buttons govuk-button-group">
        

  <button class="gem-c-button govuk-button" type="submit" data-accept-cookies="true" data-cookie-types="all">Accept additional cookies</button>


        

  <button class="gem-c-button govuk-button" type="submit" data-reject-cookies="true">Reject additional cookies</button>


        <a class="govuk-link" href="/help/cookies">View cookies</a>
    </div>
    <div hidden class="js-hide-button govuk-button-group">
      <button
        class="gem-c-cookie-banner__hide-button govuk-button"
        data-hide-cookie-banner="true"
        data-module="ga4-event-tracker"
         data-ga4-event='{"event_name":"select_content","type":"cookie banner","action":"closed","section":"You have accepted additional cookies"}' >
          Hide cookie message
        </button>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
      <a data-module="govuk-skip-link" class="gem-c-skip-link govuk-skip-link govuk-!-display-none-print" href="#content">Skip to main content</a>

          <header data-module="ga4-event-tracker ga4-link-tracker" data-ga4-expandable="" class="gem-c-layout-super-navigation-header">
<div class="gem-c-layout-super-navigation-header__container govuk-width-container">
  <nav
    aria-labelledby="super-navigation-menu-heading"
    class="gem-c-layout-super-navigation-header__content"
    data-module="super-navigation-mega-menu">
    <div class="gem-c-layout-super-navigation-header__header-logo gem-c-layout-super-navigation-header__header-logo--homepage">
      <a class="govuk-header__link govuk-header__link--homepage" data-ga4-link='{"event_name":"navigation","type":"header menu bar","external":"false","text":"GOV.UK","section":"Logo","index_link":1,"index_section":0,"index_section_count":2,"index_total":1}' id="logo" aria-label="Go to the GOV.UK homepage" href="/">
        <svg
  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
  focusable="false"
  role="img"
  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>
    <circle cx="10.2" cy="23.5" r="3.7"></circle>
    <circle cx="3.7" cy="33.2" r="3.7"></circle>
    <circle cx="31.7" cy="30.6" r="3.7"></circle>
    <circle cx="43.3" cy="17.6" r="3.7"></circle>
    <circle cx="53.2" cy="23.5" r="3.7"></circle>
    <circle cx="59.7" cy="33.2" r="3.7"></circle>
    <circle cx="31.7" cy="30.6" r="3.7"></circle>
    <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"></path>
  </g>
  <circle class="govuk-logo-dot" cx="226" cy="36" r="7.3"></circle>
  <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
sitemap.xml 200 OK
Type URL Set URLs 0 entries Valid XML No
B
TLS Certificate Expiry & Recommendations
256 days until leaf cert expires — 3 issues to address
REVIEW

Certificate validity

256
days left
0d 30d 60d 90d+

Recommended actions

  • Submit your domain to hstspreload.org to be added to the Chrome preload list
  • Enable DNSSEC on your domain for DNS spoofing protection
  • Enable OCSP stapling on your TLS server to remove a CA roundtrip and protect user privacy
B
CDN & Delivery
Varnish
REVIEW
Varnish
Info::
Site is served via Varnish CDN
Got: via: 1.1 varnish
CDN Detected: Varnish
Provider Varnish Evidence via: 1.1 varnish
A+
DNS Records
4 A records, 27 ms lookup
PASS
4 A records, 27 ms lookup
Info::
Resolves to 4 IPv4 address(es)
Got: 151.101.192.144, 151.101.128.144, 151.101.64.144, 151.101.0.144
Info::
No IPv6 (AAAA) records
Info::
8 nameserver(s) configured
Got: ns-1080.awsdns-07.org, ns-cloud-e3.googledomains.com, ns-117.awsdns-14.com, ns-cloud-e4.googledomains.com, ns-cloud-e2.googledomains.com, ns-831.awsdns-39.net, ns-cloud-e1.googledomains.com, ns-1983.awsdns-55.co.uk
Info::
No MX records — email not configured via DNS
Info::
CAA records not checked
CAA record lookup requires a specialized DNS resolver. This check will be available in a future update.
Info::
SPF record present in TXT
Info::
DNS resolution time: 27 ms
Got: 27 ms
A151.101.192.144, 151.101.128.144, 151.101.64.144, 151.101.0.144
AAAA—
CNAME—
NSns-1080.awsdns-07.org, ns-cloud-e3.googledomains.com, ns-117.awsdns-14.com, ns-cloud-e4.googledomains.com, ns-cloud-e2.googledomains.com, ns-831.awsdns-39.net, ns-cloud-e1.googledomains.com, ns-1983.awsdns-55.co.uk
MX—
TXT
SPF v=spf1 -all
00535383
00801152
fastly-domain-delegation-JBg47VZvrGTeGKBK-746391-2024-03-08
00451380
CAALookup not available with standard resolver
Resolved in 27 ms

CAA record lookup requires a specialized DNS resolver. This check will be available in a future update.

Why this matters

Informational: CAA (Certification Authority Authorization) records weren't checked in this scan.

A
Redirect Chain
1 redirect(s), 29 ms total
PASS
1 redirect(s), 29 ms total
Info::
Single redirect
Got: https://service.gov.uk → https://www.gov.uk (302)
Info::
WWW normalization redirect
Info::
Uses 302 (temporary) redirect
If permanent, use 301 instead.
Got: https://service.gov.uk
Info::
Cross-domain redirect detected

https://service.gov.uk

4 ms · HTTP/1.1

302

https://www.gov.uk

25 ms · HTTP/1.1 FINAL

#URLStatusTimeProtocolServer
1https://service.gov.uk3024 msHTTP/1.1Varnish
2https://www.gov.uk20025 msHTTP/1.1nginx

See the visual redirect chain in the HTTP Probe tab →

If permanent, use 301 instead.

Why this matters

302 (Found) is for genuinely temporary redirects — if this redirect is permanent, switch to 301 to preserve SEO equity.

Learn more ▾

Search engines treat 302 as temporary, keeping the original URL indexed and not transferring full link equity to the destination. Use 301 (Moved Permanently) for permanent redirects (HTTP→HTTPS, www-vs-non-www, URL restructures).

Source: Google Search Central

A+
URL Variants
www/non-www, trailing slash, HTTP→HTTPS
PASS
www/non-www, trailing slash, HTTP→HTTPS
Info::
HTTP correctly 301-redirects to HTTPS

www / non-www

https://www.service.gov.uk/
200https://service.gov.uk/

HTTP → HTTPS

301http://service.gov.uk/ → https://service.gov.uk/

Consistent

A+
Domain Intelligence
service.gov.uk — via Jisc Services Limited, 13 years, 3 months old, hosted on Fastly
PASS
service.gov.uk — via Jisc Services Limited, 13 years, 3 months old, hosted on Fastly
Info::
Domain registered until Mar 7, 2028 (1 years, 11 months remaining)
Info::
DNSSEC is not enabled
DNSSEC protects against DNS spoofing attacks. While not required, enabling DNSSEC adds an additional layer of security. Contact your DNS provider to enable it.
Info::
Registrar: Jisc Services Limited
Warning::
Registrar lock is NOT enabled
The domain can be transferred without an unlock step. Enable registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) in your registrar's control panel to protect against unauthorized or accidental transfers.
Info::
Hosting: Fastly
Got: AS54113
Domain expiry

633 days

March 7, 2028

SSL certificate

256 days

Issued by GlobalSign nv-sa

Domain age

13 years, 3 months

Registered March 7, 2013

DNSSEC

Not enabled

Protects against DNS spoofing

Hosting

Fastly

ASN AS54113

151.101.128.144

Registrar

Jisc Services Limited

Unlocked 8 NS records
Expiry timeline
Today
+1 year
Domain expiry SSL expiry Danger zone (≤30 days)
Recommended actions
  • Enable DNSSEC to protect visitors from DNS spoofing
  • Enable registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) to block unauthorized domain transfers
Registrar Jisc Services Limited
Created March 7, 2013 (13 years, 3 months ago)
Expires March 7, 2028 (1 years, 11 months)
Last Updated February 14, 2025
Name Servers ns-cloud-e1.googledomains.com, ns-1080.awsdns-07.org, ns-117.awsdns-14.com, ns-cloud-e2.googledomains.com, ns-cloud-e3.googledomains.com, ns-cloud-e4.googledomains.com, ns-1983.awsdns-55.co.uk, ns-831.awsdns-39.net
DNSSEC Not enabled
Registrant Government Digital Service
Hosting
IP Address 151.101.128.144
ASN AS54113 (FASTLY - Fastly, Inc., US)
Provider Fastly
Data source: rdap (0.4s)

DNSSEC protects against DNS spoofing attacks. While not required, enabling DNSSEC adds an additional layer of security. Contact your DNS provider to enable it.

Why this matters

Without DNSSEC, an attacker who can poison your DNS can hijack your domain — and SSL certs alone don't stop them.

Learn more ▾

DNSSEC adds cryptographic signatures to DNS records, preventing forged responses from poisoning resolver caches. Without it, an attacker who controls the network path can redirect your domain to a malicious server before any HTTPS handshake happens. Most modern registrars (Cloudflare, Google Domains, Route 53) enable it with one toggle.

Source: ICANN / RFC 4033

The domain can be transferred without an unlock step. Enable registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) in your registrar's control panel to protect against unauthorized or accidental transfers.

Why this matters

Without registrar lock, an attacker who phishes your registrar credentials can transfer the domain in minutes — total brand hijack.

Learn more ▾

Registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited, clientUpdateProhibited, clientDeleteProhibited) requires extra verification before any transfer/update/delete. Every major registrar offers it free. Combined with 2FA on your registrar account, it's the strongest defense against domain hijacking.

Source: ICANN / domain-security best practice

A+
HTTP Probe Timing
Total 27 ms — DNS, TCP, TLS, TTFB, content transfer breakdown
PASS
DNS Lookup DNS Lookup — time to resolve the domain name to an IP address.
24 ms
TCP Connect TCP Connect — time to establish a TCP connection to the server.
0 ms
TLS Handshake TLS Handshake — time to complete the HTTPS encryption handshake.
2 ms
Time to First Byte Time to First Byte — how long the server takes to respond with the first byte of data.
27 ms
Total Time Total request time from DNS lookup through full response.
27 ms

Connection waterfall

DNS Lookup 24 ms TCP Connect 0 ms TLS Handshake 2 ms Server Processing 1 ms Content Transfer 0 ms
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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