A .gov.uk domain builds trust, boosts visibility, and ensures compliance. HugoFox makes the process simple, secure and completely free forever.
Why your Parish Council should move to a .gov.uk domain
Your Parish Council website is the front door of your Parish Council; it's where parishioners turn for reliable, official information. A .gov.uk domain instantly signals that your site is genuine, secure, and recognised by government authorities.
It demonstrates to residents, suppliers, and partners that your council is accountable, transparent, and committed to data protection.
These domains are reserved exclusively for UK public-sector organisations, which means your council immediately benefits from the same level of digital trust as larger local authorities. Residents feel confident they're dealing with an official body, not a private individual or volunteer-run site.
A .gov.uk address also helps you meet the Government Digital Service (GDS) best practice for local councils and aligns with data-protection guidance by keeping civic and personal email traffic separate.
Search engines also tend to prioritise verified government domains, making it even easier for parishioners to find your website online.
With HugoFox offering a free .gov.uk domain for all Parish Councils forever, there has never been a better time to get yours.
What you get with HugoFox
Whether you choose a Bronze, Silver or Gold HugoFox website package, you'll receive a .gov.uk domain completely free for life.
We'll handle every step for you, from purchasing and configuring the domain to adding an SSL certificate and ensuring all compliance standards are met. Once the domain is live, we also help with redirecting your previous website address so that visitors never encounter a broken link.
We'll ensure that your domain and SSL certificate are renewed automatically each year, with no additional cost or administrative effort required from your side.
HugoFox is fully certified by the Government Digital Service (GDS), Nominet and Cyber Essentials, so you can be confident that your domain registration and management are handled securely and correctly.
Our team handles the technical details, including DNS records, security configurations, and renewals. This will allow you to focus on what matters most, serving your Parish community.
Information we need (and how we protect it)
When applying for a .gov.uk domain, GDS requires a small amount of information, including: your name, role, parish name, email address and telephone number. These details confirm your authority to request the domain and are used only for validation purposes.
Your data is stored securely, encrypted at every stage, and shared only with GDS and Nominet for the sole purpose of registering the domain. HugoFox never uses this information for any other reason.
We understand that trust is earned, not assumed and safeguarding your council's information is central to how we operate.
How does the application work, and how long does it take?
Applying for your .gov.uk domain takes just a few minutes. You can start by completing the short domain request form, which is available through your HugoFox account.
You'll need to be the clerk or another authorised officer, and you must hold (or create) a HugoFox parish account for your council. Once you've done this, we'll guide you through the following simple steps:
- Sign and return the official domain contract to team@hugofox.com and make sure you include your parish name and use this: “.gov.uk domain contract (Parish Name)” as the subject line.
- We will then verify and submit your application to GDS for you.
- GDS and Nominet each review the request, which typically takes five working days.
- Once approved, we configure your SSL certificate and connect everything to your HugoFox website.
Most Parish Councils receive their live .gov.uk domain within three to six weeks, but this entirely depends on how busy the approval teams are.
Our UK-based support team will keep you updated throughout the process. We'll handle every technical step, so there's nothing for you to worry about.
Picking the perfect domain name
Choosing the right name is essential, as GDS can reject names that are unclear or too similar to another public body. It's best to use your full Parish name, adding your county if needed, to avoid confusion.
For example, ashfordpc.gov.uk or ashfordkent.gov.uk would both be valid choices. Avoid abbreviations or acronyms that might overlap with neighbouring councils or Parish groups.
GDS also recommends choosing a name that will remain relevant after potential boundary changes, so it's future-proof for your parish. If your first choice isn't accepted, our team will provide you with alternative options that meet GDS requirements and maintain your council's identity.
Setting up .gov.uk email addresses
Once your domain is live, you can further enhance your council's professionalism by adding official .gov.uk email addresses. A new "Emails" tab will appear in your HugoFox account, where you can order as many mailboxes in just a few clicks.
Every mailbox comes with 15GB of storage (around 750,000 plain text emails) and unlimited support from our UK-based team. We have a range of bundles depending on your needs:
- 1 address - £2.49 + VAT a month
- 5 addresses – £9.99 + VAT a month
- 10 addresses – £17.49 + VAT a month
- 15 addresses – £24.99 + VAT a month
- 20 addresses – £32.49 + VAT a month
- 25 addresses – £39.99 + VAT a month
Although only the Clerk is required to use an official, non-personal inbox, we strongly recommend that all councillors and officers adopt .gov.uk addresses. It keeps communications professional, secure, and compliant with GDS and data-protection best practices.
You can read the complete step-by-step guide in our .gov.uk emails article once your domain is live.
What happens to our old domain?
You don't need to worry about losing your existing website traffic. GDS recommends keeping your old domain active for at least 12 months, and HugoFox automatically sets up forwarding so that visitors are quietly redirected to your new .gov.uk address.
This ensures residents and search engines alike continue to find you easily during the transition. If your council already has a .gov.uk domain and wants to transfer it, our team will move it to HugoFox for you.
Ownership, transfers, and ongoing support
Your .gov.uk domain always belongs to your Parish Council, not to HugoFox. If you ever decide to move to another certified provider, we'll transfer your domain to them for you.
While you're with HugoFox, we handle every aspect of management, including renewals, DNS records, SSL certificates, and security monitoring, so that you can focus entirely on your council's work rather than website maintenance.
We stay on top of every change to GDS and NCSC regulations, ensuring your domain remains compliant without requiring any action on your part.
The trusted foundation of your council's online presence
A .gov.uk domain isn't just a web address; it's a statement of trust, professionalism, and community. It tells residents that your parish is genuine, secure, and accountable.
With HugoFox, the process is quick, fully supported, and completely free of life. We handle the paperwork, the compliance, and the technical setup, leaving you with a trusted, future-proof online home that represents your council with confidence.
Still have questions?
Our UK-based support team is here 24/7, and you can contact us:
- Email us at team@hugofox.com
- Use the contact page