Helping Groundwork UK measure the wider impact of Green Doctor

Wavehill supported Groundwork UK to strengthen impact measurement for Stay Warm Stay Well, a Green Doctor programme funded by the Cadent Foundation.

Groundwork UK commissioned Wavehill to review and improve how it measures the impact of its Green Doctor programme. The programme is supporting 14,500 households between 2024 and 2026, helping vulnerable households to receive impartial energy efficiency advice, take control of bills and save energy at home.

The challenge

While Groundwork had well-established methods for measuring energy, household cost and carbon savings, it recognised that these metrics captured only part of the service’s value. Experience from delivery suggested that the service was generating a wider range of benefits, particularly for customer health and wellbeing. Groundwork therefore wanted to better understand and evidence these broader outcomes, including the extent to which behaviour changes were sustained over time, the comparative value of in-home and remote support, and the additional benefits arising from wraparound advice and onward referrals.

Approach

We took a practical, collaborative approach, combining review of existing evidence with input from Groundwork staff and Green Doctor advisors to ensure the recommendations were both robust and workable

Co-developed changes to Groundwork’s data collection approach, informed by a review of existing systems and reporting, practitioner feedback and wider stakeholder involvement.
Made recommendations for analysing existing programme data more effectively, helping Groundwork maximise the insight available from information already being collected.
Developed a Social Return on Investment model to bring the programme’s different impacts together and communicate its overall social value clearly.

Impact

What this helped Groundwork UK do

The revised impact measurements approach provided a clearer basis for capturing wider outcomes while recognising the practical limits of data collection during frontline delivery. This included strengthening how Groundwork could evidence the wellbeing effects of support, understand whether advice led to sustained changes, and assess the additional value created through referrals and wider support.

Outcomes

The social return on investment model estimated that the programme generated over £4 of social value for every £1 spent. This gave Groundwork UK a clear headline measure of value, supported by a more detailed understanding of the underlying outcomes achieved.

If you would like more information about Wavehill’s work on fuel poverty, impact measurement or social impact assessments, please contact Anna Burgess (anna.burgess@wavehill.com) or Jakob Abekhon (jakob.abekhon@wavehill.com)