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Industry Insights

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Preventing suicide before the fire starts

September 2026

Across Europe, we have seen devastating wildfires destroy homes, habitats and communities. They offer us a powerful analogy for how we think about suicide prevention. When a fire is raging, everything must be done to put it out. Firefighters, emergency services and communities mobilise to save lives. But even when the fire is eventually extinguished, enormous damage may already have been done, and recovery can take years. That is why fire services don't only fight fires. They also invest in prevention: identifying risks, educating people, installing smoke alarms, creating fire breaks and trying to stop...

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What if the evidence we need to prevent the next child’s death is on their phone?

September 2026

My son Jools was 14 years old when he died suddenly in April 2022. There was no note. There was no offline evidence that explained why he died. No one had seen or been aware of any adverse mental health issues, and at his original inquest the coroner could not be sure that Jools was in a suicidal mood. More than four years later, I am still trying to understand what happened to my son. Yet one enormous part of Jools’ life was not properly explored following his death: his digital world. Like almost every teenager, Jools had a life on his phone. Social...

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Progress, persistence and the gaps in suicide prevention knowledge

August 2026

New UK-wide research from M·E·L Research's SPARK report shows improving mental health indicators alongside continuing exposure to suicide, widespread lifetime suicidal thoughts and significant gaps in practical knowledge. Suicide prevention depends on understanding not only how many people are affected, but also how confident the public feel about recognising risk, starting difficult conversations and finding appropriate support. The Spring 2026 SPARK report from M·E·L Research brings these issues together, providing a detailed picture of attitudes...

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Building a robust evidence base to support the growth of women’s sport

August 2026

Women’s sport is entering an important new phase, and we have been privileged to work with clients such as Kick It Out, WSL Football, Sport Wales and the Commonwealth Games, and witness and the experiences, impacts and drivers of this growth. Audiences are growing, competitions are evolving and sports organisations are exploring new ways to improve the matchday experience, deepen fan relationships and develop more sustainable commercial models. With that momentum comes significant opportunity, but it also raises important questions. As...

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Data quality in social research is built, not checked

August 2026

Fraud. AI-generated responses. Professional survey respondents. In recent years, these have become some of the most widely discussed topics within the research industry. As digital methodologies have evolved, so too have the challenges associated with maintaining confidence in the data we collect. While our approach to managing data quality in social research must continue to evolve, confidence in research still depends on the same foundations: clear objectives, robust methodology, appropriate quality assurance, professional judgement and ultimately, impact.

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Why Humans Still Matter in an AI-Driven World

June 2026

As artificial intelligence continues to transform industries across the world, it is easy to assume that technology will eventually replace the human role in research. There is no question that AI is changing the way research is conducted and will continue to as technology develops. From automating repetitive tasks to analysing large datasets at speed, it is already improving efficiency across the market and social research industry. However, when the focus shifts from processing information to understanding people, human expertise remains indispensable. Social research is fundamentally… social. It is about understanding humans’ motivations, fears...

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Is It Time to Take Decision-Making out of Politics?

June 2026

I should probably start with a caveat. This is not a serious constitutional proposal. Or at least, it wasn’t when I started writing it. It began as a slightly tongue-in-cheek response to the latest instalment in what now feels like Britain’s longest-running political drama: “Who is in Number 10 this week?” That might sound like an odd starting point for a piece on a research agency website. But many of our clients at M·E·L Research operate in spaces that are directly shaped by political decision-making: health, education, local government, regulation, justice, transport, skills, the environment and public services more broadly. For them, who makes decisions matters. So does how long those decisions...

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Nearly Half of Teenage Girls Still Seeing Harmful Content Online, M·E·L Research and Molly Rose Foundation Find

June 2026

New research conducted by M·E·L Research for the Molly Rose Foundation suggests that many young people continue to encounter harmful suicide, self-harm, depression and eating disorder content online, despite protections introduced under the Online Safety Act. The research suggests that, despite significant regulatory changes, many children continue to encounter harmful content as part of their everyday online lives. A key question in the ongoing debate is the extent to which recommender feeds drive children's exposure to harmful content. The findings arrive at a time of intense debate about how best to protect children online...

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AI in Legal Services: New Research Reveals What Consumers Expect from AI-Powered Legal Support

June 2026

We are pleased to see the publication of a new research report for the Legal Services Board (LSB) titled 'AI in Legal Services' exploring the opportunities and risks associated with AI in legal services. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, more consumers are turning to AI-powered tools for help with legal issues such as housing disputes, employment rights, debt and family matters. For many people who cannot afford traditional legal advice, these technologies offer a potentially transformative route to understanding their rights and accessing support.

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The Banknote Debate Isn’t Really About Banknotes

June 2026

I have found the recent debate about future UK banknotes more interesting than I expected to. Not because I have particularly strong views on whether Winston Churchill should remain on a £5 note (I reckon he’s probably had his run), nor because I spend much time thinking about the artwork on banknotes. Like most people, I use cash far less than I once did. Yet the reaction to the Bank of England’s decision to move towards a nature theme has been fascinating. The debate has quickly become one of those issues where people appear to...

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Reflections from the Visitor Studies Group Conference 2026: Experimenting with Our Practice

May 2026

I recently had the opportunity to present at the Visitor Studies Group Conference 2026, themed Experimenting with Our Practice. The conference brought together professionals across museums, heritage and cultural organisations to explore how audience research and evaluation approaches are evolving in response to changing visitor expectations, organisational challenges and new ways of working.

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What the Football Business Awards Tell Us About the Future of Sport

May 2026

The Football Business Awards are usually associated with the commercial side of the game. Sponsorships, marketing campaigns, stadium experiences and partnerships tend to dominate the headlines. But spending time at this year’s awards showed something slightly different. Increasingly, football is recognising organisations that understand supporters properly, invest in communities and use evidence to shape decisions.

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Mental Health Awareness Week: Taking Action to Support Good Mental Health

May 2026

Mental health affects every community, workplace, and family, and Mental Health Awareness Week provides an important opportunity to reflect on the ways we can all help support positive mental wellbeing. This year’s theme, “Taking action to support good mental health,” highlights the importance of creating supportive environments, improving access to help, and ensuring people feel listened to and understood. At M·E·L Research, this is reflected both in how we support our team and in the research and evaluation work we deliver with organisations across the UK.

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Evaluating Team UK’s Invictus Games Programme for the Royal British Legion: An Armed Forced Community market research Case Study

May 2026

When people think about the Invictus Games, they often picture medals, competition and international sport. But our independent evaluation of the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) Team UK Invictus Games Programme showed something much deeper at work: a carefully designed recovery journey that supports wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans – and the people around them – long before and long after the...

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Women’s Sport Is Thriving in the UK. So Why Is Sexism and Misogyny Still Holding It Back?

April 2026

It’s a been a big week for women’s sport in the UK. The Women’s Six Nations kicked off this past weekend, while the Lionesses took on a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night in a repeat of the Euro 2025 final. Both matches aired on BBC One, underlining the growing prominence and mainstream appeal of England’s women’s teams in the last few years. This moment is part of a much broader surge in visibility and investment. From the UEFA European Women's Championship 2022...

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