01.05.13
‘Nudge unit’ part-privatisation likely to be first of many
The Cabinet Office’s Behavioural Insights Team, usually known as the ‘nudge unit’, is being spun out into a part-privatised entity that will partner with a business.
Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude’s spokesman called it “great news” and said “dozens more” such units within Whitehall could be spun out over the coming years.
The unit’s aim is to apply insights from academic research in behavioural economics and psychology to public services, to make the ‘correct’ or healthier choice easier and simpler for people – playing on human nature, rather than forcing people to act in certain ways or actively punishing them for making the ‘wrong’ choices.
The team of 13, led by Dr David Halpern, have published a few papers available at the Behavioural Insight Team website on issues like energy use, randomised controlled trials in public policy, and reducing fraud and error in the tax and benefit systems.
A competition will be held to find a suitable private sector partner for the unit.
Visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/behavioural-insights-team
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