Impact case study database

Historically, the government has often used tools such as taxation, regulation and legislation to deliver its policy outcomes. However, many of the bigger policy challenges, such as the increase in chronic health conditions, can only be resolved if people are persuaded to change their behaviour. Through engagement with HMRC (in which initial research and impact took place) and subsequently the GCS, Money et al.’s research has informed the communication strategies across UK government departments within the UK, and internationally, with a combined annual budget spend of GBP300,000,000 (a total in the region of GBP1,500,000,000 between 2016 and 2020) [source 1]. The research underpins the approach taken to guiding communications strategy and evaluation in the HMRC from 2014 and the GCS Evaluation Framework (launched in 2016, and revised in 2018). This is a mandatory framework for guiding communications across all 400 UK government departments, agencies and public bodies, and has been shared across the public sector globally [source 3]. In so doing, it has helped influence behaviour in order to deliver a range of positive policy outcomes and acted as a multiplier of the impact initially achieved in HMRC. The purpose of the GCS is to deliver world-class public service communications that support ministers’ priorities, enable the efficient and effective operation of public services, and improve people’s lives. The successful implementation of government policies is contingent upon compelling communications. It therefore plays a significant role in achieving positive change through raising awareness, changing perceptions or encouraging behaviour change in society, whether that concerns the implementation of the NHS Long-Term Plan, for example, or exiting the EU. The GCS also addresses disinformation.

The GCS Evaluation Framework

Money and Hillenbrand’s 2006 article [ref 1] was first used by HMRC across its communication division in a study that was subsequently recognised as best practice by the National Audit Office in 2013. The HMRC research was published in an article in 2013 [ref 3] and has been used to guide HMRC communications and evaluation strategy between 2014 and 2020 (source 7). In 2013, the then Head of Evaluation in HMRC, and a close collaborator with Henley Business School (University of Reading), was seconded to the GCS to guide “Project Aspire”– an initiative to develop a mandatory evaluation framework for use across government. Money was a key advisor to Project Aspire, which led to the launch of the Evaluation Council in 2013. Money was invited to be a full member of the Evaluation Council in 2014 alongside key industry players such as Google, eBay, and Kantar; as well as NGOs such as Oxfam and AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communications). Having overseen over 100 campaigns since 2014, the Council supports GCS to develop, improve and embed best-practice approaches to planning, delivering and evaluating government communications activity. It also acts as a sounding board to help shape future cross-government communication initiatives, bringing scrutiny, rigour and challenge to GCS campaign planning and evaluation.

As a result, the GCS Evaluation Framework (2016) [source 2] was launched, drawing heavily on research by Money et al. [refs 1 and 3; source 1]. Specifically, the Framework was underpinned by the research on cause–effect relationships, with the outlined components of organisational communications strategies, as well as behavioural change outcomes, derived from Money’s research. The GCS Framework is now a mandatory tool used to evaluate and guide government communications across all 25 government departments (such as, for example, the Ministry of Justice, HMRC, and the FCO) as well as all 401 non-ministerial departments and arms-length bodies (such as Ofcom, the DVLA and the British Council), both nationally and internationally.

Further University of Reading research underpinned the subsequently revised “Evaluation Framework 2.0” [source 3], launched in 2018. This cited six publications by Money et. al., the only academic research mentioned. Specifically, the research [ref 5] enabled a focus on categorising behavioural outcomes more effectively and applying a theory of change related to communication strategies. This is highlighted in the Government Communication Plan 2019/20 where “setting the highest standards of communication practice” includes “evaluating the outcomes and impact of every campaign utilising the Evaluation Framework 2.0” [source 4]. In addition, the research was used to provide guidelines on data collection and how to choose key performance indicators. This has allowed GCS to develop a joint database across government departments allowing learning to be shared across the GCS, not only saving costs, but also acting as case studies of best practice using the research.

Adoption/Implementation

Money’s work has influenced government communication both nationally and internationally. In addition to sharing the Evaluation Framework with public sector communicators across the world, who have similarly used it to improve the standards, consistency and impacts of their communication [source 1], it has also been used by the FCO. Money has directly mentored senior communicators in the FCO and the Department of Trade and Industry as part of his role on the Evaluation Council. Thus the Reputation Framework has been used to guide consular and diplomatic efforts overseas, seeking to encourage positive relations for the UK and its citizens in relation to safety, counter-terrorism, trade and foreign inward investment.

Since 2014, HMRC has used the Henley Reputation Model [refs 3 and 5] and the GCS Evaluation Frameworks (based on this Henley research) to develop, evaluate and adapt its communications strategy (on a yearly, monthly and sometimes weekly basis) with SME’s, large companies and individuals to increase tax compliance and reduce tax avoidance. This includes communications related to corporation tax, income tax, excise duties national insurance and VAT. These HMRC communications have played an important role in reducing the tax gap (the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid) through impacts on the behaviours of large companies, SME’s and individuals. “In summary, between 2014 to 2019 the tax gap has decreased in each consecutive year, from an estimated 7.2% in 2014 (£38bn) to an estimated 4.7% (£31bn) in 2019, at a total saving of at least £7bn over this period” [source 5]. The role of adapting and developing communications, informed through research outputs [refs 3 and 5] and the GCS Evaluation Frameworks of 2016 and 2018, “has played an important role in achieving a reduction in the tax gap, [t]hereby securing more revenue for the HMRC to assist the government in funding important government services such as health (NHS) and education” [source 5].

Across the machinery of government, the GCS Evaluation Framework is required to have an agile approach, reflecting the challenges in delivering a diverse array of time-sensitive policies. Underpinned by the Reading research and the theory of change, this approach has been shown to be fit for purpose, influencing communications across a breadth of policy areas. For example, since 2016, “Public Health England has used the Evaluation Framework to guide its ‘One You’ campaign evaluation, using findings to optimise planning and delivery of a multi-year campaign that aims to save the NHS £11 billion a year by encouraging people in mid-life to engage in healthier behaviours such as diet and exercise and reduce behaviours such as smoking and drinking alcohol” [source 1]. Furthermore, “ACT (Action Counters Terrorism) is an ongoing Government campaign that reached more than 50% of the UK population at least 6 times during 2017 alone. Its strategy was informed by evaluation of previous activity and has been very successful, significantly increasing knowledge of what may constitute terrorist activity and improving awareness of appropriate course of action. This has in turn resulted in increased and appropriate use of counter-terrorism help lines” [source 1]. Meanwhile, the “Department for International Trade’s GREAT campaign encourages UK businesses to export overseas and the international community to visit and do more business with the UK. It used the GCS Evaluation Framework to identify opportunities for growth and to target communication for UK business and exporters as well as to encourage related activities such as tourism” [source 1]. Since 2016, it is estimated that the GREAT campaign has brought a gain of GBP1,700,000,000 to the UK (NAO 2015).

Other examples of positive policy outcomes include the Department for Education, which has used the Framework to shape its communication in relation to apprenticeships. With its spend of approximately GBP170,000,000 in 2019, it guided 21,197 applications for apprenticeships (the apprenticeship market is worth GBP2,500,000,000 a year). It is estimated that the Framework drove 50–60% of these applications (that is, applicants replied because of the communication guided by the Framework) [source 1]. In the field of healthcare, a further example includes the work done by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on its “#FakeMeds” campaign which started in 2016 and is ongoing. One in ten people have bought fake medical products online in the last year, according to the MHRA. Fake medicine and devices can lead to serious negative health consequences. In 2018, it seized over 4,600,000 fake medical products and closed 4,700 websites. Positive outcomes include a 43% increase in the reporting of counterfeit dental equipment sales and a 16% increase in searches for products registered as legitimate on the EU registry [source 1]. Similarly, “in the year 2018/2019, Public Health England used the framework to guide its ‘Keep Antibiotics Working Campaign’. The campaign set out to impact citizen behaviour by avoiding taking antibiotics if they don’t need them. The campaign is estimated to have directly resulted in 1.5 million fewer prescriptions of antibiotics in 2018/2019 by explaining the dangers of using antibiotics” [source 1].

In summary, in the words of Alex Aiken, Executive Director of Government Communications: “Communication is one of the four main levers of government alongside legislation, regulation and taxation. When done well, its contribution to delivering government policies is profound.” The Evaluation Framework has facilitated significant policy outcomes across a breadth of government policy areas (domestic and international) where a change in behaviour is the required policy outcome. As a result, the positive policy outcomes have been profound, having “far-reaching impacts across all government departments and arms lengths bodies” [source 1]. These include an effective counter-terrorism campaign, improved health outcomes, and increased trade. Thus the Framework has “helped departments communicate more effectively and more efficiently, improved stakeholder relationships and improved trust, encouraged pro-social behaviour, discouraged anti-social behaviour, and shown return on investment for tax spend” [source 1].