Insights ¦ Plain Numbers in Practice

Key Take Aways

1. The Plain Numbers Approach has demonstrated a doubling of customer understanding across five independent randomised controlled trials since initial trials in July 2021.

2. More than thirty market-leading organisations are now supporting the incorporation of the Plain Numbers Approach into their customer communications.

3. The approach is built on behavioural science, psychological insights, and adult numeracy support, aiming to enhance communication clarity.

4. The partnership model involves a minimum of three years, providing ongoing support, training, and certification to embed better numerical communication practices.

5. Practitioners are central to driving organisational change, with a focus on creating transferable skills that can be applied to all customer-facing materials.

6. The approach shows that minor adjustments, such as simplifying language or reducing numerical clutter, can significantly improve comprehension.

7. Organisations across sectors—including banking, insurance, utilities, government, and energy—are adopting the Plain Numbers Approach to achieve regulatory compliance and improve consumer outcomes.

8. Certification signals a communication meets high standards of clarity, with several communications achieving Plain Numbers Certification.

9. Embedding the approach into wider organisational change involves developing Plain Numbers Champions to promote customer understanding culture.

10. The shift towards clearer, more accessible numerical communication aligns with regulatory expectations, notably the FCA’s Consumer Duty.

11. The approach has been shown to improve not just understanding, but also customer confidence in decision-making, reducing mathematical anxiety.

12. Collaboration and community-building within organisations support sustained implementation, with evidence of positive reputational and operational benefits.

Key Statistics

• Customer comprehension doubled on average across five trials.

• Implementation examples include high impact improvements, with some increases in understanding as high as 49%.

• Over 350 practitioners trained and supported, with ongoing development and top-up training.

• Multiple communications such as loan quotes, insurance policies, energy bills, and payslips have achieved Plain Numbers Certification.

• Over 3,000 customers received Plain Numbers Certified communications, with a 95% email open rate in Thames Water leak alerts.

• 100 RSA team members became Plain Numbers Champions following an initial training workshop.

• The initial trial participants in the energy sector achieved comprehension increases of 40%, compared to 19% in other sectors.

Key Discussion Points

• The Plain Numbers Approach is evidence-based, combining behavioural science and numeracy insights to transform customer communication.

• Embedding clear numerical communication can lead to regulatory compliance and better consumer outcomes.

• The partnership model includes ongoing practitioner training, support, certification, and organisational change support to ensure sustainable implementation.

• Simplifying quantitative information—removing unnecessary data and using plain language—can significantly improve understanding.

• Sector-specific examples show effectiveness in banking, insurance, utilities, and public sector communications.

• Organisational embedding is supported by the development of Plain Numbers Champions and leadership engagement.

• Certification provides recognition and external validation of improved communication standards.

• Small changes in communication design can lead to outsized improvements in customer understanding.

• Using natural language and narrative within numerical communications fosters better comprehension.

• The approach responds to and anticipates regulatory expectations under the FCA and other bodies.

• Fully integrated communication strategies support vulnerable customers and those with low numeracy skills.

• The approach promotes a customer-centric culture through collaborative, community-oriented efforts within partner organisations.

Document Description

This article discusses the Plain Numbers Initiative, a behavioural science-led approach designed to improve customer understanding of numerical information in financial and utility services. It highlights the programme’s methodology, evidence of impact through case studies, and the organisational benefits of embedding clearer communication practices. Supported by ongoing practitioner training, certification, and community engagement, the article presents sector-specific examples demonstrating how strategic adjustments to numerical communication can deliver regulatory compliance, improve consumer outcomes, and foster organisational change.