Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS)

What it is

The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) is a standard way for UK public bodies to publish clear information about the algorithmic tools they use and why. It was developed by teams now in the Government Digital Service (GDS), which runs the ATRS hub and the repository of published records on GOV.UK.

The ATRS is a template, not a law. Its force comes from government policy. It was mandated across government departments on 6 February 2024, and the mandatory scope and exemptions policy, published on 17 December 2024, sets out exactly which organisations and tools are covered. The AI Playbook for the UK Government, published in February 2025, restates that central government departments and in-scope arm’s-length bodies must use it.

Who it applies to

Organisations. The mandatory requirement applies to central government. That means ministerial departments, non-ministerial departments, and arm’s-length bodies that provide public or frontline services or routinely interact with the general public. Organisations outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act, and arm’s-length bodies without public-facing functions, fall outside the mandate. The rollout was phased, starting with most ministerial departments and HMRC. The Data Standards Authority recommends the ATRS for the wider public sector.

Tools. A tool is in scope if it meets either of two criteria. It has a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect, or it directly interacts with the general public. Significant influence covers tools that assist, supplement or fully automate a decision, including triage and scoring. Models that only support broad policy analysis are generally out of scope.

Suppliers. The ATRS does not bind private companies directly, but the scope policy is clear that suppliers selling to the public sector should expect this level of transparency. A vendor whose product is used in an in-scope tool will be asked for much of the information a record needs.

What it requires

An ATRS record is completed in a template and published on GOV.UK. It has two tiers.

Tier 1, summary information. A single sheet for the general public, with the tool’s name, a plain description of what it does and why, and how to find out more or get in touch.

Tier 2, specialist detail. Eight further sheets aimed at civil society, journalists, researchers and other public bodies.

• Owner and responsibility. Who is accountable for development and deployment, including the senior responsible owner and any third-party suppliers.
• Description and rationale. How the tool works, what it is for, its benefits, the process it replaced and the alternatives considered.
• Deployment context. How the tool fits into the wider operational process, how much automation is involved, and the routes for appeal or review.
• Tool specification. The system architecture and its inputs and outputs.
• Model specification. Each model’s type, architecture, performance and bias evaluation, with a separate sheet per model.
• Development data specification. The data used to train, validate or test the model. This is left blank for off-the-shelf models the organisation has not trained or refined.
• Operational data specification. The data used or produced in real-world operation.
• Risks, mitigations and impact assessments. The risks identified, how they are mitigated, and links to completed assessments such as data protection impact assessments.

Timing. Records are mandatory for tools in beta or pilot and in production. Earlier records are welcome but optional. A record is updated when substantive details change, and marked as retired when the tool is withdrawn.

Sensitive information. Exemptions follow Freedom of Information logic. If a record would be released in full under FOI, it is published in full. Otherwise sensitive parts are removed or described in less detail, and fully exempt fields are marked exempt with a reason. The preferred approach is to give less detail, not to drop the record. Where even confirming a tool exists would be restricted, the record is not published.

In practice, completing ATRS records well depends on knowing which tools exist, who owns them, what data and models they use, and what assessments have been done. Organisations that keep that information current find each record is mostly a matter of drawing on facts they already hold.

Key dates

• 6 February 2024. ATRS mandated across government departments.
• 17 December 2024. Mandatory scope and exemptions policy published.
• 10 February 2025. AI Playbook for the UK Government published, restating the ATRS requirement.

How it relates to other frameworks

The ATRS is the public sector’s practical form of the transparency and accountability principles in the UK’s pro-innovation approach to AI regulation. The AI Playbook for the UK Government sets the wider principles for using AI in government and points to the ATRS as the transparency mechanism.

An ATRS record does not replace legal duties. Where a tool makes or supports decisions about individuals using personal data, UK GDPR still applies, including Articles 22A to 22D on significant automated decisions and the duty to carry out a data protection impact assessment. The record’s risks section links to those assessments.

Comparable public-sector instruments exist elsewhere, such as Canada’s Directive on Automated Decision-Making with its Algorithmic Impact Assessment, and Australia’s policy for the responsible use of AI in government. For an organisation’s own inventory, the record’s structure lines up with what a well-kept AI register already holds and with the system documentation ISO/IEC 42001 expects.