Deven Ghelani, Policy in Practice CEO, is a thought leader in the area of welfare reform. He has worked on Universal Credit since its inception and has written extensively on welfare policy, government spending and employment.

His publications include ‘Outcome-based Government’, a guide to maximising returns from public spending and ‘Creating Opportunity, Rewarding Ambition’, an analysis of entry-level employment.

Deven set up Policy in Practice, a social policy, software and consulting business that makes the welfare system easier to understand and bridges the gap between the development of policy and its implementation. Its mission is to help change people’s lives by communicating policy properly so that people can make the decisions that are right for them.

As well as policy research, Policy in Practice provides analysis, primarily for local authorities to help identify the impact of welfare reform, or develop their support schemes. It also built powerful software that helps local organisations to support customers while delivering welfare policy intent.

Deven is also a founding member of the Welfare Reform Club.