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During 2022/23, groups of neighbouring local authorities ran behavioural insights trials to reduce demand on public services in their local area by addressing a local behavioural challenge.
About our Behavioural Insights Programme
To support innovation in local government, we have delivered seven previous phases of our Behavioural Insights programme. These have increased our understanding of how behavioural science can be used to improve outcomes for local government services and reduce demand across the public sector by encouraging residents to take up preventative services.
Since 2015, we have supported councils to deliver behavioural insights projects across a variety of service areas including (but not limited to) climate, environment and waste services, children’s social services, adult social care and public health. The results have provided an evidence base of effective behavioural insights interventions to reduce demand for local public services, encourage an early intervention approach and improve outcomes for local residents.
The programme now utilises a consortium approach that encourages neighbouring local authorities to:
- work together to deliver a joint project
- scale up the impact of the project through low-cost interventions.
This year, we will work with up to three consortiums.
Devon consortium
Plymouth City Council, East Devon District Council, West Devon Borough Council, South Hams District Council, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council
Intervention:The consortium is aiming to use behavioural insights to encourage residents to take up energy efficient retrofitting measures.
Contact: [email protected]
Kent consortium
Kent County Council, Ashford Borough Council, Folkstone & Hythe District Council, Gravesham Borough Council, Medway Council, Sevenoaks District Councils, Swale Borough Council, Thanet District Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council with NHS
Intervention: To encourage and empower lower to middle income households to make low or no-cost behaviour changes that will reduce their domestic energy consumption.
Contact: [email protected]
North East of England consortium
Sunderland City Council, Durham County Council, North Tyneside Borough Council, Newcastle City Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Northumberland County Council, Gateshead Borough Council, Darlington Borough Council, Hartlepool Borough Council, South Tyneside Borough Council, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Intervention: To encourage and empower children and young people to access services and improve their mental health.
Contacts: [email protected] and [email protected]
Contact us
If you have any queries about the programme or your application, please email [email protected]
Highlighted pages
Nudges for Social Good – our behavioural insights podcast
Our Nudges for Social Good podcast explores how councils across the country are using behavioural insights to nudge their residents into different ways of living.
Applying behaviour change techniques to key challenges – the climate emergency, health inequalities and sustainable travel
Our 2022 behavioural insights conference spotlighted examples of work by councils to address the challenges of climate change, sustainable travel and health inequalities, and was attended by 540 delegates across the sector.