Reform

Reform is established as the leading Westminster think tank for public service reform. We believe that the State has a fundamental role to play in enabling individuals, families and communities to thrive. But our vision is one in which the State delivers only the services that it is best placed to deliver and that both decision-making and delivery is devolved to the most appropriate level.  

We believe the State should act in the long-term interests of the nation, ensuring services and programmes are outcomes-driven and sustainable, and based on a fair funding settlement for current and future generations. We are committed to sound public finances and ensuring taxpayer money is spent wisely.    

We are determinedly independent and strictly non-party in our approach. This is reflected in our cross-party Advisory Board and our events programme which seeks to convene likeminded reformers from across the political spectrum.”


Latest reports

Getting the machine learning

This report from UK think tank Reform sets out practical recommendations for overhauling the approach to AI This report from UK think tank Reform is a step-by-step guide to adopting AI in the areas of government where it has the most promise. AI has the potential to drastically transform government for the better, increasing efficiency...

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The power of prevention

This report from UK think tank Reform focuses on three broad factors involved in people's attitudes to vaccination — confidence, complacency and convenience. Vaccines play a vital role in preventing disease and allowing people to live healthy lives. After clean water, they are the most effective public health intervention in the world. However, even before...

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Mission control

This report from UK think tank Reform is a how-to guide to delivering mission-led government. The growth of ‘wicked problems’, from climate change to rising economic inactivity and poor health – which have no single solution and are potentially devastating for society – cannot be reversed by the State alone. Nor, however, are they likely...

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Devolve by default

This report from UK think tank Reform sets out a new framework for devolution decisions and the assessment of local systems. At present, a great deal of Whitehall’s time and resources are absorbed by unnecessary centralisation: micromanagement of purely local affairs, management of bid-in pots for local actors, and the development of policy which would...

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Smart prescribing

This report from UK think tank Reform looks harnessing technology in the fight against AMR. The UK has been a world-leader in the fight against AMR, but further action is needed if we are to slow its spread. One of the key levers in tackling the growth of AMR lies in prescribing: antibiotics are often...

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An efficiency mindset

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at prioritising efficiency in Whitehall's everyday work. Spending public money wisely must be at the heart of how Whitehall operates. Every pound that is wasted, or used ineffectively, is a pound that could have been used to improve people's lives. Yet despite spending more than ever on...

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Health security from the ground up

This report from UK think tank Reform presents five major policy ideas for UKHSA. This report from UK think tank Reform sets out some of the key flaws in England’s public health response to COVID-19 and the lessons that should learnt to build greater resilience to future health threats. The English response to COVID-19 was...

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Breaking down the barriers: why Whitehall is so hard to reform

This report from UK think tank Reform looks maps the barriers to reforming Whitehall to help develop a plan which can overcome deep-rooted flaws. There is remarkable consensus – including among many working within the civil service – on the key flaws in the Whitehall machine. Yet, while successive administrations have attempted to modernise the...

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Looking outward

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at international lessons for health system reform. On its founding in 1948, the Health Secretary Aneurin Bevan argued that the National Health Service would “make Great Britain the envy of all other nations”. Whilst this was once true, sadly, it is no longer the case. Our population...

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Boosted by the vaccine

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at lessons from COVID-19 for the future of the life sciences. This report from UK think tank Reform examines the factors that drove the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine and the lessons that should be drawn from this to ensure the UK’s life sciences offer remains...

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Reimagining Whitehall: an essay

This essay from UK think tank Reform looks at why Whitehall has tended to underperform and why reform efforts have so often stalled. To tackle current crises and prepare for future challenges, a more diverse, dynamic, and decentralised government machine will be needed. This essay sets out an account of why Whitehall has tended to...

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The future of levelling up

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at whether Investment Zones and devolution transform places like East Birmingham. The levelling up agenda is not even a year old, and already it has weathered massive economic turbulence and a change of Prime Minister. Clearly, levelling up is here to stay, with a growing focus on...

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Reimagining health: a framing paper

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at how to transform our approach to health. In its early years, our National Health Service proved visionary. It provided high-quality care to meet the dominant needs of the population it served: timely, universal access to episodic, acute treatment. However, the structures and institutions designed to meet...

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A revolution in mindset

This report from UK think tank Reform looks at addressing the youth mental health crisis after the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a significant toll on the mental health and wellbeing of the nation. However, its impacts have been particularly severe for teenagers. Disruptions to everyday routines, lost opportunities to learn, and limited chances...

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