Collection
Benefits management in government
Recommended
This collection brings together guidance, templates and case studies to support benefits management in government.
It helps teams understand what benefits are, how they link to public value, and how to manage them effectively across portfolios, programmes and projects. Developed alongside The Teal Book, it supports the government functional standard for project delivery and promotes a benefits-led approach to planning, decision making and delivery.
Details
This collection is for anyone involved in project delivery in government, including senior responsible owners (SROs), project and programme managers, benefits managers, analysts, and business case authors. It is especially useful for those developing benefits management capability or looking to apply consistent practice across teams.
What does it cover?
The collection includes practical guidance, templates and examples to support benefits management throughout the delivery life cycle. It covers:
- how to identify, plan, track and realise benefits
- how benefits link to objectives, outcomes and public value
- roles and responsibilities in benefits management
- how benefits fit into business cases using the HM Treasury five case model
- tools to support consistent documentation and reporting
- case studies showing how benefits have been managed in practice
Guidance
The Teal Book, Chapter 19: Benefits management
Chapter 19 of the Teal Book sets out how benefits management should be approached in UK government portfolios, programmes and projects. It supports the government functional standard for project delivery and promotes a benefits-led approach to ensure decisions, planning and risk management are aligned with benefits realisation.
Quick guide
A short, practical guide to help senior leaders understand how to manage benefits effectively. It explains what benefits are, why they matter and how to manage them across portfolios, programmes and projects.
Practitioner workbook
A detailed guide for benefits management practitioners working in government portfolios, programmes and projects. It sets out practical steps for identifying, planning, tracking and closing benefits, and includes templates and examples to help teams apply the guidance in real situations.
Templates
Benefits management framework
A template to help teams set out how benefits will be managed across a portfolio, programme or project. It covers identification, planning, tracking, governance and closure, and includes space to define roles and responsibilities. The framework supports consistent delivery and helps align benefits activity with wider project governance.
Benefits map
A visual tool to help project delivery teams map the links between objectives, outputs, outcomes and benefits. It supports clear thinking about how change creates value and helps teams plan for benefits realisation.
The template includes space to show intermediate benefits and dependencies, and is suitable for use across portfolios, programmes and projects.
Benefits register
A set of linked spreadsheets to help teams record, plan and track benefits throughout delivery. The register captures key details about each benefit, the realisation plan sets out the activities needed to deliver them, and the tracker monitors progress over time.
The templates are designed to work together but can be used separately if needed.
Benefits profile
A structured template to help teams define and describe individual benefits in detail. It captures key information such as ownership, measurement, dependencies, and realisation activities.
The template supports consistent documentation and helps ensure benefits are clearly linked to objectives, outcomes and delivery plans.
Case studies
Case study: Improving evidence for time-saving benefits through frontline engagement
This case study shows how a time and motion study was used to measure the benefits of digitising patient records in social care. The team gathered baseline data through direct observation and interviews, helping to build a strong evidence base for time savings and wider impacts. The findings supported further rollout and funding, and highlighted the value of involving benefits teams early.
Case study: Linking benefits and evaluation
This case study explores how the Scottish Government evaluated the legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. A thematic evidence review was used to assess both short-term and long-term benefits across four national outcomes. The approach helped measure qualitative impacts and highlighted the need for continued research into cultural and social effects.
Case study: Using counterfactual analysis
This example shows how counterfactual analysis was used to evaluate the impact of broadband vouchers in rural areas. The method helped identify added value by comparing supported areas with similar locations without vouchers. The case highlights the importance of early evaluation and combining different methods to understand long-term benefits.
Product Information
Delivery vehicle Appraisal, Definition, Delivery, Feasibility, Operation, Portfolio, Programme, Project
Practice Benefits Management, Planning and Control
Sector Digital and data, Government Transformation and Service Delivery, Infrastructure and Construction, Military Capability
Product type Case studies and reports, Tools, templates and techniques, Workbooks and guides