UK Govt to Export Behavioural Insights Nous

The UK government's Behavioural Insights Team or 'Nudge Unit', set up by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2010, is to sell its expertise in the fields of behavioural economics and psychology to governments and institutions around the world.

The PM set up the unit after reading Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness, a book by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. The unit's remit is to apply the theory set out in the book, which claims that people's habits can be changed without government regulation, instead nudging them in the direction they 'should' go.

Drawing on academic research which shows how subtle changes to the way in which communications are framed can impact on how people respond to them, the team - led by psychologist David Halpern (pictured) - applies these insights to public policy making in the UK.

To date, these initiatives have included helping the UK Courts Service use personalised text messages to increase the number of fines paid; and improving tax increase payments by telling late payers that most people in their town had settled their bills.

According to a statement made by the Cabinet Office, the unit has so far identified public savings of at least £300m since its launch, and this result has now generated enquiries from foreign governments and organisations interested in adopting its techniques.

Two pieces of work will shortly commence in partnership with the unit: the first with the government of New South Wales, Australia, and the second with Freebridge Housing Association in the UK.

Announcing the plans, Tory Party Chairman Grant Shapps claimed: 'The work of the unit has improved public services and saved taxpayers' money so I'm proud that it will be recognised on a global scale.'

The unit does have its detractors - Labour MP Luciana Berger has described it as the 'Prime Minister's vanity project', and the House of Lords Science and Technology sub-committee has expressed the view that nudges alone are 'unlikely' to make people act differently.

Web site: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/behavioural-insights-team .