2024 has been a year of change, elections and political upheaval throughout the world. The UK General Election is just one of many prompts for analysis about the collective challenges we face and how best to address them. In these key moments, social scientists play an important role as part of wider multidisciplinary efforts to identify effective, equitable and affordable policy solutions. This report provides a social science lens on eight contemporary UK policy challenges, to equip political parties and broader civil society with an understanding of the breadth of evidence that the social sciences can bring. Our contributors comprised a blend of academics and practitioners, including people who have served as ministers and as senior officials within government, resulting in a range of perspectives on policy challenges from different and sometimes competing standpoints. Whilst this report does not make specific policy recommendations, we have documented five overarching areas of consensus, from the expert contributions, for improving the intersections of evidence, practice and policy – which we encourage the UK Government to consider. In setting cross-cutting missions, the UK Government will benefit from policymaking processes and infrastructures which incorporate a broad range of evidence in ways that are transparent and robust. The new UK Government would benefit from a more joined-up approach to policymaking. Greater attention to the evidence base underpinning controversial and contentious policy areas could lead to calmer and more reasoned deliberation. There is still significant scope for policy innovation by drawing on successful practice from the devolved nations and regions. Policy development and discourse should include adequate space and time for social and societal elements to be fully explored.
