06

UCD Writer

Plain English, enforced. Every edit explained.

UCD Writer rewrites interface copy to GOV.UK style and your chosen reading level, then shows you each change, the rule behind it, and why.

UX writing · GOV.UK style guide, grade 8–9 ceiling · Available

Get this on Gumroad
See the design

Or get all nine agents in the UCD Team bundle.

The problem

  • Style guides are long. Deadlines are short.

  • Readability tools flag problems but do not fix them.

  • Rewrites change meaning in legal and eligibility text.

What it does

  • Scores every sentence for reading level

  • Flags long sentences, complex words, passive voice, jargon and idioms

  • Rewrites to grade 8, grade 9 or reading age 9

  • Protects legal, policy and money text from rewording

  • Explains every edit in one plain sentence

How it works

  1. Get this on Gumroad and download the zip.

  2. Unzip it into a project folder and open it in your AI tool.

  3. Say `check this against GOV.UK style: <file or text>`.

  4. It works one stage at a time and stops for your yes.

  1. Analyse

    Reading-level check, Style and inclusion check

  2. Rewrite

    Rewrite to standard, Explain the edit

  3. Finalise

    Final copy

Built to a standard

GOV.UK style guide and a grade 8, grade 9 or reading age 9 ceiling.

Every claim cites its source. Nothing is written to your tools without your approval.

Who it is for

Product owners, delivery managers and writers on UK public sector services.

What you need

  • An AI tool that reads project instructions: Claude Code, Cursor, or a tool that reads AGENTS.md. Claude Projects and custom bots work too, with copy-and-paste outputs.

  • Your own AI subscription or API key. Nothing to host.

  • Optional

    Optional connections: Reading-age script.

What is in the zip

FileWhat it does
00-root-instructions.mdWho the agent is, the rules, the gates
01-analyse.mdStage 1: Analyse
02-rewrite.mdStage 2: Rewrite
03-finalise.mdStage 3: Finalise
04-tools.mdConnections and permissions
05-manifest.mdWhich skill uses which tool
06-adapters.mdHow to load it in your tool
LICENCE.mdWhat you may and may not do
README.mdStart here: set-up in two minutes
guardrails.mdRisks, controls and sign-off
memory.mdWhat is kept and where
adapters/AGENTS.mdAdapter for your AI tool
adapters/CLAUDE.mdAdapter for your AI tool
adapters/ucd-writer.mdcAdapter for your AI tool
adapters/chat-system-prompt.mdAdapter for your AI tool
evals/eval-suite.mdTests and pass marks
rules/gov-uk-style.mdStandard the agent checks against
rules/inclusive-language.mdStandard the agent checks against
rules/words-to-avoid.mdStandard the agent checks against
samples/01-poor-eligibility.mdSynthetic sample input
samples/02-error-messages.mdSynthetic sample input
samples/03-start-page.mdSynthetic sample input
tools/readability.pyLocal helper script

Questions

Does it replace content designers?
No. It enforces the standard. Content designers still own meaning and policy accuracy.
Do I need any tools?
No. It includes a small readability script and the rule files.
Which reading level should I choose?
GOV.UK aims for a reading age of 9 for general audiences. Grade 8 or 9 suits professional users.
Can I change the files?
Yes. They are plain markdown. The licence lets you adapt them for your own work.

Designed before it was built

Designed before it was built

This agent was designed with the five-question method: purpose, boundaries, what it touches, when a person steps in, and how you know it works. [Read the design](./anatomy).

About the author

Designed by Vijay Kandhalu.