diff --git a/.github/workflows/format-code.yml b/.github/workflows/format-code.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e357088091e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/format-code.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, edited, reopened, synchronize]
+
+jobs:
+  format-code:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@main
+      - uses: ministryofjustice/github-actions/code-formatter@main
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4c49bd78f1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.env
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fac733c53e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2021 Crown Copyright (Ministry of Justice)
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0826d50ec0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Ministry of Justice Template Repository
+
+Use this template to [create a repository] with the default initial files for a Ministry of Justice Github repository, including:
+
+* The correct LICENSE
+* Github actions
+* .gitignore file
+
+Once you have created your repository, please:
+
+* Edit the copy of this README.md file to document your project
+* Grant permissions to the appropriate MoJ teams
+* Setup branch protection
+
+[create a repository]: https://github.com/ministryofjustice/template-repository/generate