Our Behavioural Insights programme supported councils to deliver behaviour change within local communities, helping to improve outcomes and reduce demand on public services.
Overview
Throughout our Behavioural Insights programme, we worked with 25 councils across three regional consortium groups to build behavioural insights skills and expertise within councils to address local challenges. All the outputs, case studies and results can be found on the behavioural insights webpages for all councils to access and learn from.
Highlights
During 2022/23, programme highlights and achievements included:
- 95 per cent of respondents in councils that took part in the Behavioural Insights Programme gained knowledge and skills to undertake behaviour change interventions
- 621 delegates attended Behavioural Insights webinars and events
- our Behaviour Change Leads Group supported the development of peer-to-peer learning for behavioural insights across 137 officers from 76 local authorities
- the Devon Consortium project to increase uptake of energy saving retrofitting support reached a total of 205,324 local people – this valuable insight has informed the councils’ understanding of what works well to engage residents on retrofitting measures
- the Kent energy saving trial resulted in a higher proportion of participants (89.3 per cent) than non-participants (32.1 per cent) reporting that the intervention had helped residents reduce energy bills during the trial.
Case studies
Case studies from all three consortiums can be found below, with many others searchable in our case studies database:
North East Consortium – improving mental health services
In July 2022, alongside a consortium of 11 North East England local authorities, we commissioned UNPITCHD to develop an intervention to increase access to, and use of, mental health self-help tools for children and young people (CYP) aged 10 to 15 who may be experiencing low mood and / or anxiety for the first time.
A trial delivered through social media ads directed people to information on loft insulation, testing two approaches with varying messages. The trial reached 205,324 people and showed that roof imagery and social norm messaging were most effective at encouraging people to read further information on loft insulation.
Kent Councils Consortium – reducing energy usage among homeowners
To effectively support homeowners in adopting energy-saving behaviours and reducing their bills, the LGA funded a consortium of nine local authorities from Kent and Medway and the NHS in collaboration with The Behaviouralist to develop an intervention that leveraged behavioural insights to encourage local residents to reduce energy usage at home.
