Strategy, policy, research & economics challenges

PricewaterhouseCooopers combines a wide range of policy and economics skills with experience in public sector work to provide insights into key government policy issues. We support clients through all stages of the policy lifecycle, from research, options reviews and feasibility studies to policy evaluation.

Key areas of focus include sustainability, regeneration and the role of choice, contestability, personalisation and markets in improving public service delivery. We combine a thorough knowledge of the way governments operate with an unrivalled network of expertise from other sectors, industries and countries to provide practical, delivery-focused policy analysis.

We work for UK clients across central and devolved government, transport, education, housing and healthcare, as well as for overseas governments, the EU and international financial institutions such as the World Bank. In addition, our Macroeconomics Unit provides advice to clients on the implications of major economic and social trends and policy developments.

Potential issues

• Formulating strategy and policy and allocating resources based on robust evidence and research
• A need for independent, objective appraisal and evaluation of policy options and programmes
• A need for objective cost-benefit analysis of a set of options
• A need for an objective opinion and robust "stress testing" of policies and their underlying assumptions, supported by rigorous analysis and future scenarios
• Identifying and understanding the full financial and economic implications of investment options
• A need for a robust analysis of markets and sectors to develop a clear rationale for intervention to address market failures
• Modelling demand and setting prices/charges for public services
• Understanding the economic and social and environmental impact of policies
• Developing a sustainable strategy for economic development and regeneration of a neighbourhood and/or region
• Understanding the competition and regulatory implications of policies, including their impact on contestability
• Assessing the distributional impacts of policies on different segments of the population

PwC services

Policy development advice

• Supporting clients throughout the policy lifecycle, including research, options reviews, feasibility studies and policy evaluation

Option identification and appraisal

• Including advice on selecting policy direction, financial and efficiency reviews, best value and Better Quality Service (BQS) reviews

Feasibility studies

• Feasibility studies may involve: supply and demand analysis, impact analysis, risk assessment, financial modelling and cost:benefit analysis

Evaluation studies

• Assisting clients with two types of evaluation of policies and programmes: formative evaluation before or during implementation, to help improve and support delivery or management of that programme; and summative evaluation to examine outcomes, identify lessons and inform future policy development

Economic analysis and econometrics

• Using specialist economics skills to address the full range of policy issues facing government - from market and demand analysis to pricing to business case development - using economic, econometric and specialist tools, as well as surveys and market research

Sustainability policy

• Planning and policy formulation
• Regional development plans
• Project and programme evaluation
• Integrated rural development plans
• Life-cycle analysis using our proprietary methodology

Environmental economics

• Costs of compliance
• Kyoto protocol and climate change issues and emissions trading
• Creating a triple bottom line accounting framework

Surveys and market research

• We offer survey and market research services through our in-house international survey unit of some 40 market research consultants