The Policy & Use of Evidence Award

Building evidence and integrating it into policy takes time - and yet HMRC’s Behaviour, Insight and Research Team brought cutting-edge techniques and deep insight to develop the furlough scheme without that luxury.The team deployed social media analytics to gather real-time data on business needs, rejigged its research methodology to set up online focus groups, and mobilised the behavioural insight evidence from its randomised controlled trials. As a result, every step of the journey to make a claim was informed by evidence - rather than assumptions - about customers’ behaviour.The scheme received widespread praise as the best-designed service the department has developed.

The Coronavirus-Childcare Assistance Scheme helped maintain capacity in vital public services during the first peak of the pandemic, by providing childcare to enable parents employed in critical infrastructure to work. It also supported vulnerable children and their families where intelligence indicated they could be at risk. Robust evidence and economic modelling underpinned the business case to repurpose funding for this scheme, while primary and secondary research informed collaborative implementation with the wide range of stakeholders. A dashboard on service availability, takeup, and virus outbreaks, provided management information and has given a data sharing legacy. Independent evaluation verifies that the scheme is exemplary.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) secretariat delivers scientific advice to decision-makers during emergencies. Co-chaired by Chief Scientific Advisor, Sir Patrick Vallance, and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, SAGE first met in January to discuss an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan. The secretariat has since delivered over 60 meetings and released 400 papers, convening hundreds of experts and leading specialists from the UK’s diverse scientific community to provide timely, impactful advice to the Cabinet.The secretariat has championed independence, proactivity and transparency, welcomed challenges, and provided an authoritative, unified voice to inform the UK’s response.

Recognising excellence in policymaking.