Components Key details bar

The key details bar allows agents to check they are looking at the right case before continuing with a task.

It is designed for use on agent-facing services and case management systems.

When to use this component

Use the key details bar when there is a small set of information – two or three data items – that users need to check before starting a task or refer to while doing it.

The basic component includes:

Customer name
National Insurance number
An optional status tag

If your research shows that agents need more information, the bar can be extended by adding a lower block to include data such as a case reference, date of birth or postcode.

When not to use this component

The key details bar does not work well as banner to draw attention to important or urgent information.

Do not use the key details bar instead of an H1 heading.

The component’s high contrast means it quickly becomes harder to read as more text is added. Only use the extended version of the component if you have strong evidence of a genuine user need, and consider other solutions if usability is affected.

How it works

The standard key details bar includes two text items and an optional status tag. The text items should have a clear hierarchy: do not use the same style for multiple items.

First item descrition:: First item
Second item description:: Second item
Status tag description:: Status tag

<section class="dwp-key-details-bar" aria-label="Key details">
<div class="dwp-key-details-bar__key-details">
<dl class="dwp-key-details-bar__top-block">
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">First item descrition:</dt>
  <dd class="dwp-key-details-bar__primary">First item</dd>
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">Second item description:</dt>
  <dd class="dwp-key-details-bar__secondary">Second item</dd>
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">Status tag description:</dt>
  <dd class="govuk-table__cell dwp-key-details-bar__status">
    <strong class="govuk-tag dwp-key-details-bar__status--dwp-default">
      Status tag
    </strong>
  </dd>
</dl>
</div>
</section>

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
primaryIdentifier	object	Required.The primary identifier
secondaryIdentifier	object	The secondary identifier
status	object	The claim status
additionalData	array	Array of optional additional data
classes	string	Additional classes to add to the key details bar
attributes	object	HTML Attributes (data attributes) to add to the key details bar

{% from "key-details-bar/macro.njk" import dwpKeyDetailsBar %}

{{ 
    dwpKeyDetailsBar({
        primaryIdentifier: {
            text: 'First item descrition:',
            value: 'First item'
        },
        secondaryIdentifier: {
            text: 'Second item description:',
            value: 'Second item'
        },
        status: {
            text: 'Status tag description:',
            value: 'Status tag'
        }
    })
}}

The key details bar is a static display component and should be the same in all views. Do not change the information it contains when the user moves to a different screen.

Using status tags

If needed, the key details bar can include a status tag. Its default styling is blue text on a white background, but you can use the standard tag colours from the GOV.UK Design System if you prefer.

This example shows a tag styled using govuk-tag--red:

Name:: Jane Doe
National Insurance Number:: QQ 12 34 56 X
Claim status:: Urgent

<section class="dwp-key-details-bar" aria-label="Key details">
<div class="dwp-key-details-bar__key-details">
<dl class="dwp-key-details-bar__top-block">
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">Name:</dt>
  <dd class="dwp-key-details-bar__primary">Jane Doe</dd>
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">National Insurance Number:</dt>
  <dd class="dwp-key-details-bar__secondary">QQ 12 34 56 X</dd>
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">Claim status:</dt>
  <dd class="govuk-table__cell dwp-key-details-bar__status">
    <strong class="govuk-tag govuk-tag--red">
      Urgent
    </strong>
  </dd>
</dl>
</div>
</section>

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
primaryIdentifier	object	Required.The primary identifier
secondaryIdentifier	object	The secondary identifier
status	object	The claim status
additionalData	array	Array of optional additional data
classes	string	Additional classes to add to the key details bar
attributes	object	HTML Attributes (data attributes) to add to the key details bar

{% from "key-details-bar/macro.njk" import dwpKeyDetailsBar %}

{{
    dwpKeyDetailsBar({
        primaryIdentifier: {
            text: 'Name:',
            value: 'Jane Doe'
        },
        secondaryIdentifier: {
            text: 'National Insurance Number:',
            value: 'QQ 12 34 56 X'
        },
        status: {
            text: 'Claim status:',
            value: 'Urgent',
            classes: 'govuk-tag--red'
        }
    })
}}

Extending the key details bar

The extended key details bar includes a lower block for additional information, separated from the top block by a horizontal rule.

Name:: Jane Doe
National Insurance Number:: QQ 12 34 56 X
Claim status:: Completed

Date of birth:: 4 June 1972
Case reference:: RM PX 30

<section class="dwp-key-details-bar" aria-label="Key details">
<div class="dwp-key-details-bar__key-details">
<dl class="dwp-key-details-bar__top-block">
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">Name:</dt>
  <dd class="dwp-key-details-bar__primary">Jane Doe</dd>
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">National Insurance Number:</dt>
  <dd class="dwp-key-details-bar__secondary">QQ 12 34 56 X</dd>
  <dt class="govuk-visually-hidden">Claim status:</dt>
  <dd class="govuk-table__cell dwp-key-details-bar__status">
    <strong class="govuk-tag dwp-key-details-bar__status--dwp-default">
      Completed
    </strong>
  </dd>
</dl>
<dl class="dwp-key-details-bar__bottom-block">
  <dt>Date of birth:</dt>
  <dd>4 June 1972</dd>
  <dt>Case reference:</dt>
  <dd>RM PX 30</dd>
</dl>
</div>
</section>

Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as “Required” in the option description.

If you’re using Nunjucks macros in production with “html” options, or ones ending with “html”, you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Name	Type	Description
primaryIdentifier	object	Required.The primary identifier
secondaryIdentifier	object	The secondary identifier
status	object	The claim status
additionalData	array	Array of optional additional data
classes	string	Additional classes to add to the key details bar
attributes	object	HTML Attributes (data attributes) to add to the key details bar

{% from "key-details-bar/macro.njk" import dwpKeyDetailsBar %}

{{
    dwpKeyDetailsBar({
        primaryIdentifier: {
            text: 'Name:',
            value: 'Jane Doe'
        },
        secondaryIdentifier: {
            text: 'National Insurance Number:',
            value: 'QQ 12 34 56 X'
        },
        status: {
            text: 'Claim status:',
            value: 'Completed'
        },
        additionalData: [
        {
            text: "Date of birth:",
            value: "4 June 1972"
        },
        {
            text: "Case reference:",
            value: "RM PX 30"
        }
        ]
    })
}}

Technical guidance

The key details bar should be placed outside the <main> tag. This will allow a screen reader user to skip past it using the skip link.

You may need your <h1> to reference something from the key details bar so that it still makes sense when a screen reader user skips the bar. This may be required even if your <h1> is visually hidden.

Accessibility

If you use status tags, take care to check all possible colour combinations for contrast.

For more about building accessible services see the DWP Accessibility Manual.

Research

This component was initially designed to support agents on phone calls who needed confirmation that they were speaking to the right person, and any research insights have been from agent-facing services. We do not have research for this component on public-facing services.

Contribute

If you have used or researched this component, please let us know what you found so we can make it better for everyone. There is an open discussion on GitHub where you can share anything you think might be useful.

Discuss the Key details bar on GitHub

Get in touch

If you’ve got a question, idea or suggestion email the Design System team on dwp-design-system@engineering.digital.dwp.gov.uk

Cookies on the DWP Design System website

Components Key details bar

When to use this component

When not to use this component

How it works

Using status tags

Extending the key details bar

Technical guidance

Accessibility

Research

Contribute

Get in touch