Delivery As a communications partner with almost two decades of experience applying Behavioural Science to difficult messages, we helped the CLAS team to talk about the scheme, and about death, with the clarity and humanity they deserve. We drew on our communications consultants’ extensive research into empathetic communications and ‘the right way to write about death’ to:

•  Create a suite of helpful and sensitive letters to explain to employers and claimants what to expect from the scheme and what they need to do.

• Apply behavioural insights to help readers understand and act on information easily, and make decisions that are right for their individual circumstances.

• Create communications to nudge employers and claimants to share the details and evidence required at the right time to keep the application process moving.

• Create web content and direct communications to explain the rules of the scheme and how they are applied.

• Write about the scheme in a helpful but realistic way, so expectations are set and no false promises are implied to claimants.

• Simplify wording to make the scheme easier to understand, even if English isn’t a first language.

• Advise on how to apply written empathy at different touchpoints in a sensitive communications journey, informed by relevant evidence and research.

• Share insights with the communications teams to help them apply empathy to wider bereavement communications.

Result By applying behavioural and research insights to make these critical communications helpful, human and clear, the employers and families of people who lost their lives supporting the public through a pandemic are shown the recognition and respect they deserve. Queries and complaints coming into the NHS Business Services Authority have been kept to a minimum, and our behavioural nudges prompt employers and claimants to share information at the right time, avoiding unnecessary delays and worry.