About us

The Government Social Research profession supports the development, implementation, review and evaluation of government policy.

Government Social Research (GSR) is the analytical profession within Government for Civil Servants who generate and provide social and behavioural research and advice.

GSR members enable government to understand issues relating to society, groups and individuals; and support policy debate and decision-making through a variety of approaches, advice and evidence. We currently have over 2,400 professionally accredited members across 50+ departments/organisations.

GSR members come from a wide range of professional backgrounds and disciplines covering the breadth of social and behavioural sciences. Our work puts people at the heart of government decision making by providing expertise in applied quantitative and qualitative design and analysis approaches, evaluation and interventions to solve complex problems. GSR takes a scientific and tailored approach supported by bodies of knowledge and a range of research methods to inform, influence and provide robust and defensible decision-making at all levels.

Specifically, GSR’s role is to:

  • provide analytical insight to enable decision makers to understand systems, processes and change associated with people, groups, organisations and society – their attitudes, perceptions, behaviours and intentions – to inform and improve the quality of strategy, delivery and policy debate decision-making
  • anticipate and evaluate the impact of government decisions, understand ‘what works, for whom, to what extent, in what contexts, how and why/why not?’
  • provide expert social research advice and evidence to design, challenge, reduce risk, trial, improve quality and implement government strategy and policy
  • maintain and grow social research professional skills, knowledge and expertise
  • represent society through our membership profile and the work that we do

Recruitment

Information relating to recruitment into the GSR can be found on the webpages for each of our schemes

GSR Fast Stream Scheme

GSR Sandwich Student Scheme

GSR Summer Student Scheme

Our Management

Jenny Dibden is the Head of GSR, and is joined by two Deputy Heads of GSR, Antonia Caldeira-Saraiva and Kylie Lovell.

The GSR Senior Leadership team is supported by a network of GSR Heads of Profession from across core government departments and devolved administrations – these include:

  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
  • Cabinet Office
  • College of Policing
  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Department for Education
  • Department for Health and Social Care
  • Department for International Trade
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • Department for Transport
  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • Food Standards Authority
  • Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
  • Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
  • Home Office
  • Health and Safety Executive
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Ministry of Defence
  • Office for National Statistics
  • Scottish Government
  • Welsh Government

Our behaviours

The Civil Service code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

The GSR Code is an addendum to the Civil Service code. The purpose of the GSR Code is to set out the GSR’s additional professional standards of behaviour.

Membership requirements

Information on our current membership requirements can be found by following this link.

The Government Economic and Social Research Team

The Government Economic and Social Research (GESR) Team is the professional support unit for all GSR and Government Economic Service members.

We:

  • provide support to government GSR Heads of Profession and GES Chief Economists
  • promote good analysis and evidence in government
  • provide central recruitment and information services
  • maintain and develop profession standards and provide competency guidance
  • promote more effective use of combined skills of analysts across professions
  • manage applications for the Fast Stream, Student Placement and Summer Student schemes
  • organise professional conferences and seminars
  • make sure policy makers have access to tools and resources in the analytical community

You can contact the GESR team by email at GESR[email protected]

Or write to us at:

GESR Team
HM Treasury
1st Floor
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ

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