Sectors
Social Research ¦ Market Research ¦ Behavioural Insight ¦ Evaluation ¦ SROI
Social Research ¦ Market Research ¦ Behavioural Insight ¦ Evaluation ¦ SROI
M·E·L Research is a specialist market, social and behavioural research and insights consultancy. But M·E·L Research isn’t a standard agency. Our vision is to make a positive difference to organisations, employees, customers and wider society. We push for social value – in why we work, how we work and who we work with.
We provide insight that enables public sector bodies and charities to improve their service delivery. We also explore attitudes and behaviours and evaluate interventions on key societal issues including poverty, mental and physical health and wellbeing, mobility, infrastructure and the climate and environment with residents, customers, employees, stakeholders and businesses.
We deliver social and market research services across various sectors, including housing, health and wellbeing, transport, culture and heritage, sport and activity and the environment.
To ensure we deliver excellent research with a purpose, we work with a clear set of values and quality standards.
More detail on our unique approach to delivering social value for communities, partners and the wider population can be found here.
What sector or service are you looking for?
Our team work in a diverse range of sectors, conducting research into wide ranging issues from local government to environmental impact studies.
Our highly skilled team are able to conduct many forms of research. Depending on the depth and scope of research required our team will recommend the most appropriate method of research.
It can be hard to know which market research consultant to choose when you’re looking for commission research. At M·E·L Research, we believe in transparency and are proud to share insights into the processes and outcomes of the research we’ve conducted for organisations in the past.
Case Studies
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver an organisation-wide employee survey designed to capture robust, confidential insight into staff experiences of working within the Service. The client context was one of ongoing organisational focus on workplace culture, conduct, leadership, and inclusion, alongside a clear requirement to monitor progress against earlier engagement activity. SFRS wanted to better understand how employees experienced day-to-day working life.
Case Studies
Arun District Council commissioned M·E·L Research to undertake a resident survey across two newly completed housing developments: Windmill Views in Barnham and The Hedgerows in Eastergate. The research formed part of the Council’s wider corporate objective to use the planning system to create high-quality, sustainable developments that meet the needs of current and future generations. The Council wanted to engage directly with residents who had recently moved into new homes in order to understand how well these developments were functioning as places to live.
Case Studies
Liverpool City Council commissioned an organisation-wide employee survey in 2025 to measure staff engagement, workplace culture, leadership, wellbeing, equality and inclusion, and experiences of change. The survey formed part of the Council’s ongoing programme of staff listening and was used to assess progress against its Strategic Improvement Plan and organisational values. The survey results were intended to provide both a corporate overview of staff experience and detailed local insight to support improvement planning at Directorate and Service Area level.
Case Studies
The Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) commissioned a programme of qualitative research to understand how legal services are experienced by consumers and professionals, and how service delivery is evolving in response to increased use of digital tools. The research focused on three areas of law: family, probate and conveyancing. The purpose of the work was to ensure that consumer needs and perspectives inform ongoing discussions about legal service delivery, digital transformation and future service delivery guidance.
Case Studies
This project was commissioned by a communications agency to support understanding of the experiences of neurodiverse women within the criminal justice system (CJS), alongside the perspectives of professionals working with this group. The research was designed to focus on gathering detailed, first-hand qualitative evidence. The project used a qualitative methodology comprising individual depth interviews and professional group discussions. Several one-to-one depth interviews were conducted with women who identified as neurodivergent and had direct experience of the criminal justice system.
Case Studies
Surrey County Council commissioned an organisation-wide employee pulse survey as part of an established tracker survey programme that began in 2020. The programme was designed to provide regular, consistent insight into staff engagement, wellbeing, inclusion and organisational culture, and to enable the Council to monitor change over time. The March 2025 survey represented the first pulse wave of that year and was intended to provide senior leaders with current evidence on employee experience during a period of organisational change.
Case Studies
Sandwell Council commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver a borough-wide residents’ survey to understand how local people experienced the area and how they viewed the Council and key services. The work sat within an ongoing need to track public perceptions over time, identify areas of strength and improvement, and provide an evidence base that could be used by senior leaders and service teams to plan communications and prioritise action. The presentation outputs showed that results were designed to support both year-on-year comparison and external benchmarking, using Local Government Association (LGA) benchmark data where available.
Case Studies
M·E·L Research delivered the final wave of a multi-year evaluation for the Centre for Economics and Obesity at the University of Birmingham, focused on the Binley Cycleway. The work formed part of a programme that started with a baseline survey and then continued through annual tracking waves, enabling year-on-year comparison of attitudes towards and/or usage of the cycleway. The client’s core need was to understand how effectively the cycleway was supporting cycling uptake and the associated health and wellbeing of the local population.
Case Studies
MACH Alliance has historically tracked enterprise organisations’ adoption and use of MACH technology. As MACH has become more widely adopted and AI uptake has accelerated across markets and sectors, the Alliance wanted to understand how MACH technology supports organisations to adopt AI in practice, what this means for business outcomes, and what role MACH Alliance can play in shaping the narrative and guidance in this evolving landscape. The research was designed to help the Alliance answer a set of connected questions. It explored how AI-ready enterprise organisations are; the extent to which composable/MACH architecture is seen as an enabler for AI at scale; whether organisations that are…
Case Studies
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the independent safety and economic regulator for Britain’s railways, has an established requirement that all Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and Network Rail maintain an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP). A key element of ATP delivery is the Passenger Assist service — a free service for disabled passengers or those who need help when travelling by rail. Passenger Assist allows passengers to book a range of support, from navigating stations to boarding and alighting trains, luggage handling, ramps, and taxi transfers when needed. ORR commissioned M·E·L Research to conduct another wave of its annual Passenger Assist research.
Case Studies
Help for Heroes commissioned M.E.L Research to develop a detailed segmentation of the UK charity-giving public, focusing specifically on individuals who support – or could be encouraged to support – military and veterans’ charities. The charity sought an evidence-based understanding of the motivations, behaviours and communication preferences of potential supporters, with a view to strengthening engagement, improving message resonance, and ensuring its offer aligns with what matters most to supporters and prospective supporters.
Case Studies
The Association of Independent Museums (AiM), with partners including Arts Council England, Welsh Government and the National Museum Directors’ Council, commissioned M·E·L Research to explore how museums and heritage organisations managed their land and outdoor spaces. The commissioners recognised that, although many museums held substantial green and blue space – from small courtyards and gardens to meadows, woodland, farmland and industrial landscapes – there was little sector-wide evidence on how this land was being used, or how it could support organisations’ social, environmental and financial goals.
Case Studies
Barnardo’s commissioned M·E·L Research to carry out an independent evaluation of the Children that We Care For (CtWCF) Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHWB) pilot service in Sandwell. The service was delivered in partnership with Sandwell Children’s Trust and aimed to address a clear gap in emotional and mental health support for children that are cared for and care experienced young people. Nationally, demand for children and young people’s mental health support has grown, with a higher proportion of children and young people living with probable mental disorders.
Case Studies
The evidence presented in our report highlights the significant role that the Housing Enablement Team (HET) plays in supporting timely hospital discharges and preventing delayed transfers of care. Over the last decade, the service has grown substantially, now working with more than 2,000 patients per year, many of whom face complex housing and social challenges that would otherwise prevent a safe and timely discharge. Analysis of the available data demonstrates that the HET provides a rapid, effective response.
Case Studies
The Children and Young People’s Health Equity Collaborative (CHEC) was a three-year partnership between Barnardo’s, the UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE), and three Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) – NHS Birmingham and Solihull, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, and NHS South Yorkshire. Its vision was that all children should enjoy good health and positive wellbeing, reduce child health inequalities and improve the outcomes for CYP from underserved communities by acting on the social determinants of health.
Case Studies
Mind commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver the Big Mental Health Survey 2025, a major study exploring how people in England and Wales experience and access mental health support across primary care, voluntary/third sector organisations, and digital platforms. This large-scale survey — the first since 2019 — was designed to provide post-pandemic evidence on how well people are being supported when they reach out with a mental health problem. It forms part of Mind’s eight-year programme funded by the Dangoor Family’s Exilarch’s Foundation, with future waves planned for 2026, 2028 and 2030.
Case Studies
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver its 2025 Residents’ Survey, continuing a long-standing annual series to track local perceptions of life in the borough and satisfaction with Council services. The Council wanted robust, comparable evidence to understand: How residents feel about their neighbourhood, community cohesion, and safety. Levels of satisfaction and trust in the Council, and perceived value for money. Key public concerns around crime, health, wellbeing, and affordability. Shifts over time, compared with the 2023 and 2024 surveys and national benchmarks.
Case Studies
The London Borough of Sutton commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver its Employee Pulse Survey 2023, a follow-up to the 2022 survey designed to track how staff feel about working for the Council. The Council’s goals were to assess employee engagement and morale following a period of significant organisational change. Understand staff views on leadership, communication, inclusion, wellbeing, and hybrid working. Identify areas for improvement to inform the Council’s ongoing People Strategy and “Ambitious for Sutton” Corporate Plan.
Case Studies
Our client, the Midlands Industrial Ceramics Group, is a collaboration aimed at positioning the Midlands as a global leader in advanced ceramics innovation. Their members include industrial and academics partners that form part of the manufacturing and research base for advanced ceramics in the Midlands. By leveraging research and industrial expertise, the group focuses on developing advanced ceramic materials that revolutionize industries ranging from aerospace to healthcare.
Case Studies
M·E·L Research was commissioned by Tamworth Borough Council to deliver its 2024/25 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) survey, part of the Council’s statutory requirement under the Regulator of Social Housing’s framework for social landlords. The project aimed to provide a robust and representative assessment of tenants’ satisfaction across key aspects of the housing service, while also identifying opportunities for service improvement and tenant engagement.
Case Studies
We have conducted an ongoing customer satisfaction tracking survey, providing CCW with regular and reliable insights into how customers feel about their experiences. In addition to this, we have carried out qualitative exploration of customers’ journeys when escalating a complaint to CCW—whether involving their water or sewerage company, or water retailer. These insights have helped to shape internal understanding of the customer experience at each stage of the complaints process.
Case Studies
Breakthrough T1D is a leading global charity committed to accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Alongside funding critical research into a cure, we are also deeply invested in improving lives today—through better technology, healthcare access, and emotional and informational support for everyone living with T1D. One area of growing importance is the experience of ageing with Type 1 Diabetes.
Case Studies
M·E·L Research completed an employee satisfaction study for the Office for Nuclear Regulation to understand employee’s experiences of working at ONR, 3 years on from the last survey. ONR provided a contact list for all of their employees. An email with a unique survey link was sent to all employees to encourage them to complete the survey. Regular reminders were sent throughout fieldwork, to dovetail with internal communications and maximise completion rate. Employees on maternity leave or long-term sick leave were sent a letter by ONR with a QR code linking them to the survey.
Case Studies
M·E·L Research completed a research study for WMCA to gather insights into residents’ opinions and experiences around social lives, use of digital technology for social connection, as well as connection and activity in the local community. Insights will enable WMCA to make more informed, inclusive, and effective decisions. By understanding residents’ needs, WMCA can better ensure its policies are equitable, responsive to ever-changing needs, and foster greater trust, transparency, and regional cohesion.
Case Studies
Islington Council commissioned M·E·L Research to conduct a detailed consultation on the proposals to re-designate a borough-wide Additional Licensing scheme, and to introduce Selective Licensing in a further 9 wards: Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction, Laycock, Canonbury, and Clerkenwell. The consultation ran for 13 weeks and sought to gather local views on the proposals, including the proposed licensing conditions, fees, variations to the licence, and alternatives that the council could consider.
Case Studies
Shelter is the leading charity in the UK on homelessness and housing issues. Shelter has a strong, established voice on the issues of home quality, availability, affordability and tenure security through both campaigning and advocacy. Shelter runs campaigns to raise awareness and seeks to influence housing policy, working with government and other organisations to advocate for changes that can deliver sector wide improvements.
Case Studies
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) is the voice of dyslexic people. They campaign and advocate to influence government, organisations and institutions to become dyslexia-friendly and accessible, to enable dyslexic people to reach their full potential. The BDA commissioned M·E·L Research to conduct research to understand and quantify the lived experience of dyslexic young people aged 13-18, to deeply understand how dyslexia impacts their lives.
Case Studies
The Bat Conservation Trust commissioned M·E·L Research to conduct a large-scale nationally representative quantitative research to better understand public attitudes toward bats. This included developing and piloting a repeatable survey, establishing baseline data, and generating insights to guide audience targeting and strategic planning.
Case Studies
In 2024, M·E·L Research were appointed to deliver a major transactional research contract for Midland Heart, one of the largest social landlords in the West Midlands. For the next three years, we will be delivering up to 14 monthly transactional surveys, covering key areas of service delivery.
Case Studies
For the World Gymnastics Championships, as well as an economic impact evaluation, we also conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the fan, athlete, volunteer and delegation experience incorporating a diverse array of data sources to ensure a robust analysis.
Market research can be fraught with issues surrounding transparency, data security and the quality of analysis applied to research. That’s why we’re fully accredited to ISO 9001, 20252 and 27001 as well as cyber essentials plus certified.
Stay up to date with the latest news from MEL Research.
M·E·L News
January 2026
When you commission research or evaluation, you need more than a report. You need a partner who can deliver smoothly, protect your reputation, and produce insight you can act on with confidence. That is why we are pleased to welcome two new colleagues to M·E·L Research this month: Dr Bianca Bailey Wilson, Head of Evaluation, and Amanda Brightman, Field Team Manager…
Industry Insights
January 2026
The Private Rented Sector (PRS) is at a point of significant change. Over the last decade, it has expanded rapidly, providing homes to a growing and increasingly diverse range of households. At the same time, expectations around decent and safe property standards, tenant protections and landlord accountability have risen, particularly with the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act. Local authorities sit at the centre of this shift, tasked with improving conditions while balancing…
Industry Insights
January 2026
The referral lands in the inbox at 4:30 p.m., marked URGENT. The word, framed by asterisks, feels hollow in a system where urgency has become routine. Triage mode takes over. Thresholds, criteria, and capacity pressures all compete in the background, each one another reminder of how overstretched community mental health services have become. Expecting the usual referral…
Industry Insights
January 2026
M·E·L Research is publishing the Autumn 2025 findings from SPARK (Suicide Prevention: Attitudes, Risk and Knowledge), our Research with a Purpose programme designed to strengthen the evidence base for suicide prevention across the UK. SPARK tracks public attitudes, lived exposure, and confidence in suicide prevention knowledge over time. In doing so, it complements the official statistics on deaths by suicide and self-harm related harm, by highlighting..
Industry Insights
January 2026
During the last 12 months, the M·E·L Research team have been considering deeply the opportunities and risk of utilising AI in our day-to-day work, as well as the ethics of its use. Our position on the use of AI/GenAI in social research is one of ‘cautious optimism,’ using it where this is appropriate and proportionate. For many of the audiences we work with and given the sensitivity of the subjects we explore, we know that a human led approach will be essential. But where there is an opportunity to use AI, we will only do so in a way that ensures transparency, fully protects respondent privacy and…
M·E·L News
December 2025
As M·E·L Research marks its 40th anniversary, 2025 has given us a welcome moment to pause, reflect and look ahead. Not just to celebrate the longevity of the company, but to recognise what has sustained us for four decades: curiosity, care and a deep belief that good insight and social value can make a meaningful difference to society. Founded in 1985, M·E·L Research has grown from a small cooperative into a nationally respected, values-led market, social and behavioural research consultancy…
M·E·L News
December 2025
M·E·L Research is proud to announce our continued partnership with Creative Scotland, the national agency supporting the arts, screen, and creative industries, to deliver the 2025 Applicant Opinion Survey. Building on the success of our previous collaborations in 2023 and 2024, this year’s study will once again give a voice to the creative community by capturing the experiences and perspectives of…
M·E·L News
December 2025
We are pleased to announce the appointment of two new Research Managers, Roisin Coleman and Michael Keating, alongside the promotion of Tamsin Maries from Research Manager to Senior Research Manager. The appointments mark an important moment for M·E·L Research as we celebrate our 40th anniversary year, reflecting a business that continues to go from strength to strength.
M·E·L News
December 2025
We have successfully passed our recent surveillance audits for ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 20252 (Market, Social and Opinion Research) and ISO 27001 (Information Security Management), with exemplary performance across all three standards. The independent auditor commended us for our outstanding adherence to ISO requirements, noting no critical findings and highlighting the strength and maturity of our management systems.
