Recommendations by Professor Rita de la Feria led to reforms implemented in the Portugal’s 2012 State Budget which boosted the efficiency of tax and generated savings of 1.2 per cent GDP.

Social scientists from the ESRC’s Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (BRASS) at Cardiff University have developed a new methodology that allows findings to go beyond narrow academic circles. In a study of the impact of the single use carrier bag levy, introduced by the Welsh Government in 2011, BRASS academics designed their research with media interest and the general public in mind.

One of the challenges of using cross-national surveys for policy and practice is the need to reliably compare results from different countries. The Latent Variable Modelling of Categorical Data project developed computing tools to help researchers determine how comparable the results are - enabling surveys to deliver better and more reliable policy recommendations.

Researchers from the Centre for Economic Performance and the Spatial Economics Research Centre analysed the impact of reforms in health care, where private hospitals could compete with NHS hospitals on publicly funded care. Their findings were cited by all three main political parties in debates and shaped the design of the NHS reform bill, which became an Act of Parliament in March 2012.

Nanotechnologies - tiny devices and systems on a nanoscale - are developing so fast that regulation has been struggling to keep up. In recent years there have been growing fears about the potential risks to human health and the environment from nanotechnology.

A new tool assessing the quality of team-related behaviours of the core members of an operating theatre team has been mandated for national use by the National Patient Safety Agency and implemented in several other countries.

Innovation in the UK is not restricted to high-tech and pharmaceutical industries. Right across the country, innovation is turning up in unexpected places and firms. Also, innovation is not just about new products; it is seen in fresh approaches to services, business processes and methods.

MissionMaker, a software tool enabling teenagers to create their own computer games, is now used in over 200 schools and is part of the Institute of Education's Masters programmes.

Award-winning psychological research has underpinned the development of Electronic Financial Advice software which delivers computer-based feedback on financial decisions, leading to commercial research spinouts.

Policy recommendations from the Sussex Energy Group have shaped the UK government's position for climate change negotiations, as well as informing the Chilean and Indian governments on technology transfer policies.