Inside the Nudge Unit

Every day we make countless decisions, from the small, mundane things to tackling life’s big questions, but we don’t always make the right choices. Behavioral scientist Dr. David Halpern heads up Number 10’s "Nudge Unit," the world’s first government institution that uses behavioral economics to examine and influence human behavior, to "nudge" us into making better decisions. Seemingly small and subtle solutions have led to huge improvements across tax, healthcare, pensions, employment, crime reduction, energy conservation, and economic growth. Adding a crucial line to a tax reminder brought forward millions in extra revenue; refocusing the questions asked at the job center helped an extra 10% of people come off their benefits and back into work; prompting people to become organ donors while paying for their car tax added an extra 100,000 donors to the register in a single year. After two years and dozens of experiments in behavioral science, the results are undeniable. And now David Halpern and the Nudge Unit will help you to make better choices and improve your life.

"A must-read account of one of the Cameron government's best innovations. Inside the Nudge Unit is a brilliant guide to making any organisation not just more effective, but more human." —Steve Hilton, former Senior Advisor to David Cameron; author, More Human

"David Halpern has written a magnificent book about a revolution at the heart of the British government. It's a riveting tale—and essential reading for anyone who wants to know how to make big changes happen." —Rohan Silva, former Senior Advisor to David Cameron; co-founder, Second Home

"David Halpern presents a masterclass on how to embed behavioural insights into the fabric of an organisation. This book is full of numerous examples on not just excellent behaviourally informed programs as well as terrific practical advice on how to get these programs up and running!" —Dilip Soman, India Innovation Institute

"Intriguing." —Sunday Times Culture Magazine

David Halpern is currently Chief Executive of the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) and the UK's National Adviser on What Works. Prior to this, David was Chief Analyst in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit (2001–2007), and has held academic positions at the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard.