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Research

As an educational charity, Reform is committed to producing excellent research that informs and advances the debate on public service reform. We also want to help shine a light on what government spends, where that money goes, and whether it is achieving the best outcomes for the best price – regardless of who is delivering the service.

We believe there are myriad opportunities for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of services, while also ensuring sound public finances. Spending taxpayers’ money to greatest effect is not just fiscally responsible, but will mean better services, better able to meet the needs of those who use them.

A primary care estate fit for the future – Full report
Primary care services are integral to delivering high-quality and personalised services for patients. There needs to be further investment, better streamlining of existing funding and a new approach to funding digital initiatives in primary care.
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The prison system: Priorities for investment – Full report
Prisons continue to become less safe and decent, provide few opportunities to address prisoners’ behaviours and fail to retain experienced staff. Government needs to consider sentencing policy, the prison estate, safety, and the workforce.
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Planning for patients: The role of Section 106 planning contributions – Full report
Local health service providers and Councils are not taking full advantage of funds from section 106 agreements, meaning that they are missing out on millions of pounds that could go towards improving and delivering vital services for patients.
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Fact Sheet: LA School Spending
The Government has pledged to 'level up' funding for schools, but school finances are a mixed picture. Almost 30% of local authority maintained secondary schools are in the red, while over 40% are in the Black.
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More money, fewer problems? The case for targeted education spending – Full report
This piece examines the proportion of maintained schools in surplus and deficit, the levels of surplus and deficit and regional variations to gain a more comprehensive picture of school finances.
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A False Economy: How to reduce the Housing Benefit bill – Full report
The collapse of the Housing Benefit system has led to skyrocketing spend and failure to support those on low incomes. The system needs wholesale reform and serious investment in building more social housing.
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Fact Sheet: The Land Disposal Strategy
No major land-owning department is on track to deliver their 'land for housing' targets
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Fact Sheet: Commissioning and Contracts
How do commissioners choose the right payment models?
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Fact Sheet: The Education Estate
£7.1 billion has been allocated to support the educational estate over five years - but both funding and accountability is inadequate
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The Price of Poor Procurement – the data
Analysis of fifty-two published reports from investigations conducted between 2016 and 2019 into procurement contracts.
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