A new report from Cavell Group and 8×8 reveals that the public sector is grappling with outdated communication tools, siloed systems, and a growing pressure to integrate AI and deliver seamless citizen experiences, all under the tightening grip of budget constraints.
The 2025 UK Public Sector CX Report spans local government, housing, healthcare, and education, and it paints a unified picture of fragmentation, inefficiency, and rising public expectations.
Despite AI hype and digital-first mantras, the top three ways citizens contact public services remain email (74%), phone (68%), and face-to-face (66%). Meanwhile, staff are stuck juggling multiple, disconnected systems. One in three organisations cite platform sprawl as their biggest internal headache.
Each sector is grappling with its own version of the same problem. In healthcare, leaders are under pressure to protect patient data, meet escalating expectations, and stay compliant with a constantly shifting regulatory landscape — all while trying to connect outdated systems and shift to the cloud.
Joe McStravick, vice president, EMEA Sales at 8×8, said: “Public sector organisations are telling us they’re at a critical turning point. There’s a clear appetite to improve citizen services as expectations around AI, data, and omnichannel engagement delivery increase. But for many, delivery of the tools, and training on their use, is not keeping pace – and that’s often down to budgets.”
Public sector CX woes
Educational institutions are struggling with legacy communication tools, poor knowledge-sharing practices, and strict limitations on AI use.
In local government, digital transformation fatigue, poor connectivity, and widespread resistance to automation are slowing progress toward cloud-based contact centres. Meanwhile, housing associations are facing fragmented channels, insecure messaging tools, and frontline teams spread too thin, all of which undermine their ability to provide consistent service.
Across the board, complaints are the same: long wait times, repetitive conversations, clunky handoffs, and poor-quality reporting. The technology may be evolving, but most citizens and frontline staff wouldn’t know it.
By 2030, public sector organisations expect to move from old-school performance metrics to outcome-driven, real-time analytics. Almost 60% believe AI will be the most transformational force in contact centres. But most are still in the early stages of experimentation, unsure how to scale securely or cost-effectively.
Vendor selection has become a marathon. It takes an average of 15 months to change contact centre providers. While decision-makers prioritise functionality, integration, and regulatory expertise, reputation still plays a quiet but powerful role in shaping outcomes.