RPC publishes new regulatory scorecard case histories guidance

We are pleased to announce the publication of the RPC's new regulatory scorecard case histories guidance. The document is designed to help policy teams across Whitehall develop stronger regulatory scorecards within options assessments (OAs) and impact assessments (IAs), improving the way they assess and communicate the impacts of regulatory proposals. The guidance draws on examples from published OAs and IAs and aims to support departments in producing proportionate, transparent and well-evidenced analysis.

The regulatory scorecard was introduced in 2023 as part of the reforms to the Better Regulation Framework. It provides a summary of the impacts of regulation on businesses, households and wider society, bringing together both monetised and non-monetised impacts alongside consideration of wider government priorities such as innovation, trade, investment, and natural capital and decarbonisation.

Key highlights of the new guidance Assessing impacts proportionately

The guidance emphasises the importance of proportionate analysis. Departments are encouraged to tailor the level of evidence and quantification to the scale of the proposal while setting out plans for further analysis where policies are still at an early stage. It also highlights that expectations will increase as proposals move from OA stage to final-stage IA, with greater quantification and monetisation expected as evidence develops.

Presenting impacts clearly

The guidance provides practical advice on presenting impacts within the scorecard. It explains how departments should approach key metrics such as Net Present Social Value (NPSV), Equivalent Annual Net Direct Cost to Business (EANDCB) and Equivalent Annual Net Direct Cost to Households (EANDCH), while also ensuring that important non-monetised impacts are described where reliable quantification is not possible. The scorecard should act as a concise summary of the analysis, with detailed calculations and assumptions presented elsewhere in the OA or IA.

Considering wider government priorities

Part B of the scorecard requires departments to consider wider impacts, including effects on the business environment, international trade and investment, and natural capital and decarbonisation. The guidance encourages departments to draw on evidence and existing literature to explain how proposals may affect these areas and to ensure that assessments are specific to the policy being considered rather than generic statements.

Case studies and best practice

As with other RPC guidance, the document includes a range of case histories drawn from recently published OAs and IAs. These examples demonstrate good practice in presenting monetised and non-monetised impacts, assessing impacts on businesses and households, explaining distributional effects and considering wider government priorities. They also highlight common issues identified through RPC scrutiny and show how departments can address them.

The publication of this guidance reflects the RPC's continued commitment to improving the quality of regulatory appraisal across government. Recent scrutiny found that 22% of OAs and IAs received a 'weak' or 'very weak' rating for their assessment of impacts within the regulatory scorecard. The new guidance has therefore been produced to clarify expectations and support departments in developing more robust assessments.

We hope these case histories will provide a practical resource for policy teams and analysts as they develop future regulatory proposals. We welcome feedback on our work and encourage stakeholders to share their views on how we can continue to improve our guidance and processes.

https://rpc.blog.gov.uk/2026/10/06/rpc-publishes-new-regulatory-scorecard-case-histories-guidance/

seen at 10:35, 6 October in Regulatory Policy Committee.