diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/jinja2.py b/django_app/redbox_app/jinja2.py
index 8dc01004a..4b73a6f0b 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/jinja2.py
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/jinja2.py
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
 import humanize
 import jinja2
 import pytz
+import waffle
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.templatetags.static import static
 from django.urls import reverse
 from django.utils.timezone import template_localtime
 from markdown_it import MarkdownIt
-import waffle
 
 # `js-default` setting required to sanitize inputs
 # https://markdown-it-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/security.html
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ def environment(**options):
             "environment": settings.ENVIRONMENT.value,
             "security": settings.MAX_SECURITY_CLASSIFICATION.value,
             "waffle_flag": waffle.flag_is_active,
-
         }
     )
     return env
diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/migrations/0047_user_accessibility_categories_and_more.py b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/migrations/0048_user_accessibility_categories_and_more.py
similarity index 99%
rename from django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/migrations/0047_user_accessibility_categories_and_more.py
rename to django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/migrations/0048_user_accessibility_categories_and_more.py
index 7c87e8b5b..be5ccaba2 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/migrations/0047_user_accessibility_categories_and_more.py
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/migrations/0048_user_accessibility_categories_and_more.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by Django 5.1.1 on 2024-10-10 08:34
+# Generated by Django 5.1.1 on 2024-10-10 14:33
 
 from django.db import migrations, models
 
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 class Migration(migrations.Migration):
 
     dependencies = [
-        ('redbox_core', '0046_chat_archived'),
+        ('redbox_core', '0047_aisettings_agentic_give_up_question_prompt_and_more'),
     ]
 
     operations = [
diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/info_views.py b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/info_views.py
index f7de4311b..df4741474 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/info_views.py
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/info_views.py
@@ -3,15 +3,21 @@
 These shouldn't contain sensitive data and don't require login.
 """
 
+import waffle
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.shortcuts import render
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_http_methods
-import waffle
 
 
 @require_http_methods(["GET"])
 def privacy_notice_view(request):
-    return render(request, "privacy-notice.html", {"waffle_flag": waffle.flag_is_active,})
+    return render(
+        request,
+        "privacy-notice.html",
+        {
+            "waffle_flag": waffle.flag_is_active,
+        },
+    )
 
 
 @require_http_methods(["GET"])
@@ -23,4 +29,11 @@ def support_view(request):
 
 @require_http_methods(["GET"])
 def accessibility_statement_view(request):
-    return render(request, "accessibility-statement.html", {"contact_email": settings.CONTACT_EMAIL, "waffle_flag": waffle.flag_is_active,})
+    return render(
+        request,
+        "accessibility-statement.html",
+        {
+            "contact_email": settings.CONTACT_EMAIL,
+            "waffle_flag": waffle.flag_is_active,
+        },
+    )
diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/misc_views.py b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/misc_views.py
index 931850375..54b07b458 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/misc_views.py
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/misc_views.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import logging
-import os
 from http import HTTPStatus
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -7,12 +6,9 @@
 from django.shortcuts import render
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_http_methods
 from django.views.generic.base import RedirectView
-from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 from redbox_app.redbox_core.models import Chat
 
-load_dotenv()
-
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -21,7 +17,7 @@ def homepage_view(request):
     return render(
         request,
         template_name="homepage.html",
-        context={"request": request, "allow_sign_ups": os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") == "True"},
+        context={"request": request, "allow_sign_ups": settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS},
     )
 
 
diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/signup_views.py b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/signup_views.py
index a251fa094..d31552164 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/signup_views.py
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/redbox_core/views/signup_views.py
@@ -1,16 +1,13 @@
 import logging
-import os
 
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
 from django.http import HttpRequest, HttpResponse, QueryDict
 from django.shortcuts import redirect, render
 from django.views import View
-from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 from redbox_app.redbox_core.forms import SignUpForm
 
-load_dotenv()
-
 User = get_user_model()
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -18,13 +15,13 @@
 
 class Signup1(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm()
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-1.html", {"form": form})
 
     def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm(request.POST)
 
@@ -42,13 +39,13 @@ def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
 
 class Signup2(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm()
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-2.html", {"form": form})
 
     def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         combined_data = {**request.session.get("sign_up_data", {}), **request.POST.dict()}
         query_dict = QueryDict("", mutable=True)
@@ -64,13 +61,13 @@ def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
 
 class Signup3(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm()
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-3.html", {"form": form})
 
     def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         combined_data = {**request.session.get("sign_up_data", {}), **request.POST.dict()}
         query_dict = QueryDict("", mutable=True)
@@ -86,13 +83,13 @@ def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
 
 class Signup4(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm()
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-4.html", {"form": form})
 
     def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         combined_data = {**request.session.get("sign_up_data", {}), **request.POST.dict()}
         query_dict = QueryDict("", mutable=True)
@@ -108,13 +105,13 @@ def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
 
 class Signup5(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm()
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-5.html", {"form": form})
 
     def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         combined_data = {**request.session.get("sign_up_data", {}), **request.POST.dict()}
         query_dict = QueryDict("", mutable=True)
@@ -130,13 +127,13 @@ def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
 
 class Signup6(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         form = SignUpForm()
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-6.html", {"form": form})
 
     def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         combined_data = {**request.session.get("sign_up_data", {}), **request.POST.dict()}
         query_dict = QueryDict("", mutable=True)
@@ -167,6 +164,6 @@ def post(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
 
 class Signup7(View):
     def get(self, request: HttpRequest) -> HttpResponse:
-        if os.getenv("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS") != "True":
+        if settings.ALLOW_SIGN_UPS:
             return redirect("homepage")
         return render(request, "sign-up-page-7.html")
diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/settings.py b/django_app/redbox_app/settings.py
index bbf35877a..8547fda2e 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/settings.py
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/settings.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 env = environ.Env()
 
+ALLOW_SIGN_UPS = env.bool("ALLOW_SIGN_UPS")
+
 SECRET_KEY = env.str("DJANGO_SECRET_KEY")
 ENVIRONMENT = Environment[env.str("ENVIRONMENT").upper()]
 WEBSOCKET_SCHEME = "ws" if ENVIRONMENT.is_test else "wss"
diff --git a/django_app/redbox_app/templates/homepage.html b/django_app/redbox_app/templates/homepage.html
index ae2b45f10..70c569f8e 100644
--- a/django_app/redbox_app/templates/homepage.html
+++ b/django_app/redbox_app/templates/homepage.html
@@ -11,25 +11,35 @@
                 {% if waffle_flag(request, 'uktrade') %}
                     <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl govuk-!-margin-bottom-7">Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to interact with {{ security }} level documents from your own document set</h1>
                     <p class="govuk-body-l govuk-!-margin-bottom-7">You may summarise documents, ask questions related to one or more documents, and chat directly with the AI to assist you in your work. You can use up to, and including, Official documents.</p>
+                    <div class="rb-banner__links">
+                        {% if not request.user.is_authenticated %}
+                            {{ govukButton(
+                                text="Sign in",
+                                href=url('sign-in'),
+                                classes="govuk-button--secondary govuk-!-margin-bottom-0 rb-banner__button"
+                            ) }}
+                        {% endif %}
+                    </div>
                 {% else %}
                     <h1 class="govuk-heading-xl govuk-!-margin-bottom-7">Ask any question of documents in your Redbox</h1>
                     <p class="govuk-body-l govuk-!-margin-bottom-7">Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to get insights from your personal document set. You can use up to, and including, {{ security }} documents.</p>
-                {% endif %}
-                <div class="rb-banner__links">
-                    {% if not request.user.is_authenticated %}
-                        {{ govukButton(
-                            text="Sign in",
-                            href=url('sign-in'),
-                            classes="govuk-button--secondary govuk-!-margin-bottom-0 rb-banner__button"
-                        ) }}
-                        {% if allow_sign_ups %}
-                            <span class="govuk-body govuk-!-margin-bottom-0">or <a class="govuk-link" href="{{ url('sign-up-page-1') }}">sign up</a> to use Redbox</span>
+                    <div class="rb-banner__links">
+                        {% if not request.user.is_authenticated %}
+                            {{ govukButton(
+                                text="Sign in",
+                                href=url('sign-in'),
+                                classes="govuk-button--secondary govuk-!-margin-bottom-0 rb-banner__button"
+                            ) }}
+                            {% if allow_sign_ups %}
+                                <span class="govuk-body govuk-!-margin-bottom-0">or <a class="govuk-link" href="{{ url('sign-up-page-1') }}">sign up</a> to use Redbox</span>
+                            {% endif %}
                         {% endif %}
+                    </div>
+                    {% if not request.user.is_authenticated and not allow_sign_ups %}
+                        <p class="govuk-body govuk-!-margin-bottom-0 govuk-!-margin-top-5">We are not currently allowing new users to sign up. Please check back soon.</p>
                     {% endif %}
-                </div>
-                {% if not allow_sign_ups %}
-                    <p class="govuk-body govuk-!-margin-bottom-0 govuk-!-margin-top-5">We are not currently allowing new users to sign up. Please check back soon.</p>
                 {% endif %}
+                
             </div>
         </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/tests/.env.integration b/tests/.env.integration
index 51004ed44..3db7398fd 100644
--- a/tests/.env.integration
+++ b/tests/.env.integration
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ POSTGRES_DB=redbox-core
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD=insecure
 CONTACT_EMAIL=redbox-support@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
 POSTGRES_HOST=db
+ALLOW_SIGN_UPS=True
 
 EMAIL_BACKEND_TYPE=CONSOLE
 GOV_NOTIFY_API_KEY=f4k3_k3y
diff --git a/tests/.env.test b/tests/.env.test
index c34fe86ec..92367786c 100644
--- a/tests/.env.test
+++ b/tests/.env.test
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ GOVUK_NOTIFY_PLAIN_EMAIL_TEMPLATE_ID=example-id
 EMAIL_FILE_PATH='/app/mail'
 AWS_REGION=eu-west-2
 FILE_EXPIRY_IN_DAYS=30
+ALLOW_SIGN_UPS=True
 
 # === Playwright Tests ===