The UK government has confirmed that Matrix, a project to move nine departments onto shared ERP and HR systems, has been rated "red" by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), meaning its problems with schedule, budget, quality or benefits delivery do not currently appear manageable. Matrix is a key part of a wider £4.3 billion shared services strategy intended to migrate 17 departments and 300 arms'-length bodies onto common tech platforms, so serious setbacks here cast doubt on the broader programme's viability.

Matrix, led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, had awarded Workday and Cognizant contracts worth a combined £144.3 million in 2024, with go-live originally due in May 2026. Replanning is now under way after emerging analysis pointed to a 3-6 month delay, pushing Phase 1 go-live to late 2026, with the main risk being departments' lack of expert capacity for required testing. His Majesty's Treasury and the Department for Education have both delayed decisions on joining, despite being told participation was not optional, while NISTA also rated the related Unity programme, covering HMRC's move to a cloud-based SAP system, as red, albeit with improving progress.