UK leaders gain tools to decentralise public services
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The UK government launched a new playbook to support local leaders in England as they work to improve public services and shift decision-making away from central government.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to decentralise power upon taking office, aiming to give communities more control over policies that affect them. The “Test, Learn and Grow” program developed the playbook as a guide for central and local governments to design services that better address local needs.
The program partners directly with local authorities to test new approaches. For example, it helped Liverpool City Council use data to improve its temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, which lowered nightly costs by 30 percent and saved £6 million. Cabinet Office Minister Sally Jameson announced the playbook at an event in Sheffield, celebrating the first year of the Test, Learn and Grow program.
The playbook will be a continually updated resource on GOV.UK, reflecting lessons learned as the program continues. Test, Learn and Grow, a three-year program launched in 2025, currently works with ten local authorities to address challenges including youth employment and violence against women and girls.
