Magenta Book: Central Government guidance on evaluation 2026

Product Description

The Magenta Book is the government’s central guidance on evaluation. It is a critical tool in supporting the effective development and assessment of government policies, programmes and projects.

Understanding the effectiveness of public spending and the impact of our policy interventions is critical to effective decision-making. Proportionate and high quality evaluation is a strategic necessity that ensures accountability, informs future spending decisions, and drives the iterative improvement of public services.

The strength of this updated version of the Magenta Book guidance lies in its integrated perspective. In addition to providing refreshed technical guidance for analytical specialists, new guidance on value for money evaluation, test and learn approaches to policy development, and the alignment of benefits management with monitoring and evaluation ensures the new Magenta Book can serve as a shared roadmap for evaluation across the policy, delivery, finance, and analytical professions.

By embedding a culture of high-quality evaluation across government, we strengthen our collective ability to learn and improve. The principles outlined in this publication will empower our professions to deliver better evidence, better decisions, and ultimately better outcomes for the public.