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On the basis of the above, 'chair' when referring to the chair of a meeting.
(UKHSA)
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Change history, or
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version control
Relatively small changes should go in the change note.
Avoid Version control-type layouts which, with all their names, are a form of vanity publishinglayouts which exist solely to list names - these should go in an Acknowledgements section.
If necessary to show record how guidance has changed over time, consider this layout.
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(UKHSA) When an email address comes at the end of a sentence, omit the full stop. This is because if people copy an email address, a full stop at the end stops it from working.
Actively cap down email addresses unless there's a good reason to retain caps.
In HTML, do not mark up an email as a link in the form [email address](mailto:address). Use the correct markdown, namely tags at the start and end, thus: <mail@ukhsa.gov..uk>
(UKHSA) En dashes
When en dashes are used to create a parenthesis, put a gap either side of the dash.
For example, a man who has reported a history of injection drug use – but who also reports having sex with men – will be assigned to the ‘sex between men’ group, rather than the ‘other’ group.
ethnic minorities
Ideally, use parentheses, that is, brackets.
Do not use a dash or en dash to introduce numbers as it can be mistaken for a minus. Use a colon or phrase it so no punctuation is needed.
ethnic minorities
When writing about ethnicity, refer to ethnic minority groups individually, rather When writing about ethnicity, refer to ethnic minority groups individually, rather than as a single group. Where it’s absolutely necessary to group people from different ethnic minority backgrounds, use ‘ethnic minorities’ or ‘people from ethnic minority backgrounds.’
Do not use the terms BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) and BME (black and minority ethnic). These terms emphasise certain ethnic minority groups (Asian and black) and exclude others (mixed, other and white ethnic minority groups).
euros, the euro
(UKHSA) Use the correct symbol €.
When Lower case, if referring to the currency, use lower case.
etc
See eg, etc and ie
Excel spreadsheet
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Do not use FAQs on GOV.UK. If you write content by starting with user needs, you will not need to use FAQs.
(UKHSA)
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Avoid FAQs wherever possible. Rewrite question headings as plain statements. Beware authors who say they've done this but have only removed the question mark, that is, be aware that word order also has to change when converting a heading from a question to a statement.
But in some places an FAQ may be necessary. Assess on the basis of user need.
(UKHSA) Figure
In text, when referring to Figure 1, 2,
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In text, when referring to Figure 1, 2, 3 etc, use capitals because it's a proper noun (see Figure 3).
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Lower case.
(UKHSA) Flowchart
All flowcharts must be accompanied by a full text transcription. Here's a good example from HMRC.
(UKHSA) Foetus / fetus, Foetal / fetal
Flow charts need a detailed and literal text equivalent of every step of the process, all the questions and all the answers. A simple summary, or pointing to the data somewhere else, isn’t enough.
The full written transcript of a flow chart can either be within a PDF:
Or as a separate HTML attachment:
(UKHSA) Foetus / fetus, Foetal / fetal
Foetus is the British spelling, fetus the American spelling, but the American spelling Foetus is the British spelling, fetus the American spelling, but the American spelling is more often used in scientific papers and technical content.
Because there's inconsistency across GOV.
Because there's inconsistency across GOV.UK and the NHS website, stick to what the authors present.
N.B. NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP)
foot and mouth disease
Lower case.
(UKHSA) Footnotes
UK and the NHS website, stick to what the authors present.
N.B. NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP)
(UKHSA) -fold - two-fold, ten-fold
This is an archaic usage so try to avoid it by writing more clearly - doubled, tripled, increased by ten times.
If it has to be used, write out as words, that is not digits – two-fold, five-fold, ten-fold
foot and mouth disease
Lower case.
(UKHSA) Footnotes
Avoid footnotes. Wherever possible include footnote material in the text, where it is referenced. Use parentheses either within the sentence or as a standalone sentence.
If the footnote is a link to a page or document, incorporate it into the text as a link, linking the relevant text.
HTML
If, after considering these options, a footnote is still required, use the correct markdown. Add [^1] where you want the footnote to go. And then anywhere in the text, though probably at the bottom for convenience, add [^1]: (note the colon) followed by the text of the footnote, so - [^1]: See rotovirus data 2023 and 2024. Note how the footnote ends with an arrow taking the user back to the location in the text.
We are more tolerant of footnotes in PDFs but the same decision tree applies: 1) try and insert it into the main text where required 2) if it's only to a link, consider embedding the link in the relevant bit of txt. If these fail, use Word's footnote functionality.
Tip: When creating a footnote in Word, people often encounter a big gap between the foonote separator (the line above footnotes) and the footnotes themselves. This page shows how to eliminate that gapAvoid footnotes. Wherever possible include footnote material in the text. Use parentheses either within the sentence or as a standalone sentence.
(UKHSA) Forward slash
Never use a forward slash.
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In tables, for space reasons, you can leave /, so '27/360''.
Fractions
Write out and hyphenate fractions: two-thirds, three-quarters.
Freedom of Information
You can make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, but not a request under the FOI Act.
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Do not use hyphens in time and date ranges, use ‘to’.
(UKHSA)
Hyphenate compound adjectives when used before the noun but don't hyphenate afterwards - 'consult up-to-date guidance' but 'this guidance is up to date'.
So when used before nouns we hyphenate the following phrases:
laboratory-confirmed results
Hyphenated noun phrases, always hyphenated:
catch-up
follow-up
I
ie
See eg, etc and ie
implementation period
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If referring to the virus, write monkeypox virus (MPXV) and then the acronym thereafter. Use Markdown to create hovertext for MPXV, *[MPXV]: monkeypox virus.
Months
See 'Dates'(UKHSA) Capitalise and spell out in full, unless space restrictions in a table.
multi-ethnic
Hyphenated.
multi-year funding
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Lower case.
north-east, north-westwest
Lower case, hyphenated.
(UKHSA) not
Some guidance documents require emphasis not to do something. Never use capitals, use boldLower case, hyphenated.
(UKHSA) Notes for tables and charts
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Do not use a space, so p=0.0005, as per standard scientific notation.
Parliament
Upper case.
Upper case. No need to explain the acronym.
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In long passages of speech, open quotes for every new paragraph, but close quotes only at the end of the final paragraph.
(UKHSA) For entire paragraph of quotes use the quote Markdown >. To keep a quote going over a line break put > in the space and next to the next paragraph.
>First paragraph
>Space
>Second paragraph
Single quotes
Use single quotes:
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username
Not 'user name'.
V
(UKHSA) Version control or document change history
Relatively small changes should go in the change note.
Avoid Version control-type layouts which exist solely to list names - these should go in an Acknowledgements section.
If necessary to record how guidance has changed over time, consider this layout.
W
webchat
One word. Not ‘web chat’.
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