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Successful transformation: voices of experience

• Posted on June 29, 2018 by Max Tse

  Evolution or revolution? Inventing new services or transforming old systems and processes? Transformation programmes are complex, ever-changing and face numerous barriers; so what does it take to be one of the minority of transformation projects that succeed? How can organisations’ Boards improve the chance of success? And what does transformation have to do with wagon trains? more… Successful transformation: voices of experience

  Tagged: Audit Committees and Boards, Behaviour change, Cross-government, Customer service, Digital transformation, Employee engagement, Good practice principles, Impacts, Information management, Major projects, Public sector reform, Risk management, Skills

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Who benefits from Gift Aid? Ask the new Tax Centre

• Posted on February 8, 2018 by Jonny Mood

  The National Audit Office – University of Birmingham Tax Centre has been launched! So what does this mean for taxpayers – and for tax officials? The average taxpayer may never be aware of its role, but the new Tax Centre will help provide the all-important independent academic evidence useful to those making and implementing tax policy; it will provide crucial insights into issues such as taxpayers’ behaviours, the impact of making tax digital, tax evasion and avoidance, and customer service. As we detailed at the launch event, our recent joint work on Gift Aid shows how the NAO and the University of Birmingham can work together, and with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), to improve understanding of the effectiveness of taxes and tax reliefs. more… Who benefits from Gift Aid? Ask the new Tax Centre

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Impacts, Information management, International, Public finances, Public sector reform, Tax

  4 Comments

Is the market for higher education working?

• Posted on January 23, 2018 by Peter Langham

   
  For more than a decade, successive governments have increased the extent to which higher education functions as a market. With higher education student debts typically totalling £50,000, going to university is now one of the biggest financial decisions of a person’s life. Yet the decision is made with limited ability to know the value of the investment, and with less consumer protection than other complex products. Our recent report on The higher education market applied our Market Analytic Toolkit: for assessing public service markets and found students have insufficient help and advice, and institutions have little competitive pressure to provide best value. more… Is the market for higher education working?

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Customer service, Higher Education, International, Performance management, Public sector markets, Regulation & consumer protection, Young people

  8 Comments

Engaging, sharing, innovative Award winners

• Posted on January 5, 2018 by Amyas Morse

   
  The 2017 Civil Service Awards highlighted some of the tremendous work being done to deliver public services not only more efficiently and cost effectively, but in ways that meet people’s needs better, engage users more, and stimulate ongoing improvements. In reviewing the 2017 nominations, I was particularly taken by the range of innovative approaches and excellent use of engagement and feedback loops. more… Engaging, sharing, innovative Award winners

  Tagged: Amyas Morse, Behaviour change, Business operations, Collaboration, Cross-government, Customer service, Digital transformation, Information management, Innovation, Process management, Project management, Public sector reform

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Can better service bring in more tax revenue? How the NAO is helping government investigate

• Posted on June 29, 2017 by Andy Morrison

  Do you pay all the tax you should? Chances are, this depends on your values, your familiarity with tax rules, opportunities for evasion, and your attitudes. These may be affected by how much help you get from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – and could potentially be influenced by how happy you are with HMRC’s service. In our recent report on The quality of service for personal taxpayers, we said we would work with HMRC to explore whether service quality affects tax revenues. The way we have done this is a great example of how the NAO can help to drive public service improvement. more… Can better service bring in more tax revenue? How the NAO is helping government investigate

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Customer service, Impacts, Influencing, Information management, Performance management, Tax

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Navigating a changing pensions landscape

• Posted on January 27, 2017 by Tom Tyson

  Have you been ‘nudged’ into a workplace pension? Feel up to speed with changes to the state pension? Confident you’ll have a comfortable retirement? Worried there’ll be more changes – to your pension schemes and/or pension age? Do you understand who does what in the world of pensions? With pension reforms shifting responsibility for retirement planning to individuals and away from the state, to provide clarity, we’ve just launched a Pensions Landscape site to explain who does what in this complex landscape and the key challenges facing the government. more… Navigating a changing pensions landscape

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Financial sustainability, Pensions, Public finances, Public sector reform, Regulation & consumer protection

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Regulation through the looking glass

• Posted on November 28, 2016 by Richard Davis

  Government aims to achieve its Business Impact Target by cutting £10 billion from businesses’ regulatory costs. Do businesses notice any difference? Are departments too bogged down with the bureaucracy resulting from the government’s complex accounting rules to be effective deregulators? Is the government’s focus on business costs at the expense of consumer and environmental protection? With claims of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ accounting from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), there’s a need for transparency, evaluation and better prioritisation. more… Regulation through the looking glass

  Tagged: Accountability, Behaviour change, Business, Business operations, Cost reduction, Environmental sustainability, Regulation & consumer protection

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Want happy, productive, knowledgeable staff?

• Posted on April 28, 2016 by Steve Mirfin

  Engaged employees can increase business performance by 4.5 times. No wonder several of our reports have highlighted the problems related to low employee engagement, as measured in the Civil Service People Survey. Being a body that tries to practice what we preach, one way we upskill, inspire, amuse and otherwise engage our people is our annual Learnfest.

  more… Want happy, productive, knowledgeable staff?

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Employee engagement, Performance management, Skills

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Understanding consumers: it’s crucial

• Posted on April 20, 2016 by Simon Bittlestone

  The problem’s identified; the policy-fix is designed; but then the public doesn’t respond as expected. It’s an old story, and not unique to the public sector. But the consequences of inadequate consumer understanding and lack of early-warning signs can be costly – as our recent report, Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation, shows.

  more… Understanding consumers: it’s crucial

  Tagged: Behaviour change, Climate change, Environmental sustainability, Good practice principles, Performance management, Project management

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