CASE STUDY- Policy Lab worked with MHCLG's Changing Futures programme to shape services around the lived experience of people facing multiple disadvantage
People experiencing multiple disadvantage often rely on multiple services at the same time, including housing, health, justice and welfare. When these services operate in isolation, individuals can experience fragmented support and may fall through gaps between organisational responsibilities.
Policy Lab, working with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through the Changing Futures programme, supported the development of more flexible, person-centred approaches to frontline delivery. The focus was on improving how services work together around the needs of the individual, rather than requiring people to navigate disconnected systems.
People with lived experience were central to this work. They co-designed the approach, contributed directly to workshops, and helped shape policy development. Their involvement ensured that services were informed by real experiences rather than assumptions, strengthening relevance and accountability.
The programme combined ethnographic research, co-design activity and systems thinking to build a deeper understanding of how multiple disadvantage is experienced in practice. This highlighted where services were not aligning effectively and where coordination across agencies needed to improve.
A range of practical tools and approaches were developed, including a workshop toolkit to support local areas in mapping services and improving coordination. This was tested across multiple partnerships and then rolled out nationally across the 15 Changing Futures partnerships to support consistent, collaborative working.
Additional frameworks and tools, including systems-based indicators and simulation methods, supported a more structured understanding of how local and national systems interact. These approaches reinforced the importance of addressing structural issues across services, rather than focusing on individual service improvements in isolation.
Overall, the work strengthened collaboration across government, local authorities and partner organisations. It supported a shift towards more integrated, relational working practices, underpinned by trust, shared responsibility, and a clearer focus on the needs and experiences of people using services.
The programme contributed to improved policy design and delivery, informing the next phase of the Changing Futures programme and supporting continued investment through HM Treasury’s Shared Outcomes Fund.
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