What Harlow Consulting does

Harlow Consulting is a UK-based research and evaluation consultancy founded in 2019 by Jennifer Brennan and Clare Vokes. The firm delivers bespoke mixed-methods research — combining desk-based research, qualitative methods (focus groups, depth interviews, workshops, ethnography), and quantitative methods (online surveys, statistical testing, financial modelling) — primarily to UK government departments, regulators, training boards, and non-profit membership bodies. Named client engagements span NHS Education for Scotland, Historic England, DCMS, the Food Standards Agency, the National Housing Federation, CITB, Innovate UK, BFI, ScreenSkills, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Money and Pensions Service, Historic Environment Scotland, the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, MHCLG, and Skills Development Scotland.

Name

Harlow Consulting

Legal name

Harlow Consulting Services Ltd

Website

https://harlowconsulting.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Harlow Consulting is a UK research and evaluation consultancy providing bespoke mixed-methods research combining desk-based, qualitative, and quantitative methods to UK government departments, regulators, training boards, and non-profits across construction, heritage, healthcare, and other sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Evaluation Consultancy

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Operations & Process Improvement Consulting (BPAHACAB), Performance Management & Productivity Consulting (BPAHAGAL)

Keywords

• Research evaluation services
• Impact evaluation consultancy
• Mixed methods research
• Policy research services
• Literature review services

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrogate

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Research and Evaluation Services: Professional services revenue generated through commissioned research and evaluation projects for public and private sector clients. Projects range from rapid turnarounds to multi-year longitudinal studies. Work is won through competitive tendering, direct commissions, and collaborative partnerships with other research organisations or consortia.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Harlow Consulting is a research and evaluation consultancy providing bespoke mixed-methods research and evaluation services to public and private sector organisations. Services include impact evaluations, process evaluations, literature reviews, regulatory and policy research, international comparator research, skills and workforce research, and qualifications and competency framework development. The firm applies these services across eight sector specialisms including construction and housing, heritage, arts and culture, healthcare, AI and innovation, retrofit/net zero, finance, and education.

Product overview

Harlow Consulting is a research and evaluation consultancy that offers a portfolio of professional services rather than a traditional software product. Their core offerings comprise eight interconnected service lines: Impact Evaluations, Process Evaluations, Research & Evaluation Consultancy, Literature Reviews, Regulatory/Policy & Strategy Research, International Comparator Research, Skills/Training & Workforce Research, and Qualifications/Standards & Competency Framework Development. These services are applied across eight sector specialisms: Construction & Housing, Heritage, Arts & Culture, Healthcare, AI & Innovation, Retrofit/Net Zero, Finance, and Education. The company delivers bespoke mixed-methods research combining desk-based research, qualitative methods (focus groups, depth interviews, workshops, ethnography), and quantitative methods (online surveys, data analysis, statistical testing, financial modelling). Outputs include reports, infographics, animations, blogs, case studies, data dashboards, and journey mapping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Impact Evaluations Bespoke impact evaluation services following HM Treasury Magenta Book guidance, including Theory of Change and Logic Model Framework design, delivered for public and private sector clients across multiple sectors including heritage, arts, healthcare and innovation.
• Process Evaluations Assessment of how interventions work, evaluating the processes through which they lead to outcomes, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies including process mapping for public and private sector clients.
• Research & Evaluation Consultancy Consultancy and advisory services covering evaluation framework development, GDPR and ethical research guidance, research technique training, peer review, and stakeholder mapping for organisations undertaking research and evaluation.
• Literature Reviews Desk-based research services ranging from exploratory exercises and Rapid Evidence Assessments (REAs) to complex literature and data reviews, leveraging academic databases including Science Direct, SCOPUS, PubMed, JSTOR and DOAJ.
• Regulatory, Policy & Strategy Research Research services working with regulators and policy-makers to inform policy development and regulatory change for UK government departments and regulators nationwide.
• International Comparator Research International research using desk-based and qualitative methodologies to draw insights from other countries, with experience working with translation agencies to support cross-jurisdictional comparisons.
• Skills, Training & Workforce Research Skills, education, qualifications and workforce research including skills audits, Labour Market Information (LMI), employer surveys, and impact assessments of careers initiatives for skills bodies and employers.
• Qualifications, Standards & Competency Framework Development Design, development and review of qualifications, standards and frameworks for qualifications regulators and UK skills bodies, including competency frameworks and apprenticeship frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• DCMS announced £18.8m funding for museums based on Harlow's museum heritage estate management research findings
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Bare AnalysiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBare Analysis is listed as a strategic partner to Harlow Consulting. Specialising in stakeholder engagement and behaviour change, their work often involves collaborations with public and private sector partners. Recent projects include leading engagement on city centre regeneration for Sheffield Council, systemic review for South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and public consultation for West Yorkshire Combined Authority Local Transport Plan.
• Cast ConsultancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarlow has worked on multiple commissions for Cast Consultancy in the construction sector, predominantly in relation to off-site construction research and Modern Methods of Construction. Work has included desk-based research, market analysis, qualitative and quantitative research, stakeholder interviews, and workshop facilitation.
• Simpson & Brown (Architecture)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHarlow worked with Simpson & Brown on Historic England's museum heritage estate management research, where Simpson & Brown provided heritage consultancy expertise alongside Harlow's research capabilities.
• Purcell ArchitecturesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHarlow partnered with Purcell Architecture for DCMS Cultural Infrastructure Maintenance Assessment research, combining architectural expertise with Harlow's research capabilities.
• Addyman ArchaeologysupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHarlow worked with Addyman Archaeology on Historic England's research assessing the contribution of archaeology to non-heritage science and innovation.
• Edinburgh Napier UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarlow collaborated with Edinburgh Napier University and NMITE to develop the Timber Technology Engineering Design Competency Framework, working on qualification design specifications and products.
• Edinburgh Napier UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarlow partnered with Edinburgh Napier University on MHCLG's Volumetric Modular Construction Research to investigate risks and regulatory framework issues.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wavehill: Wavehill is a Wales/UK-based social and economic research consultancy providing evaluation, impact assessment, and policy research for government and the third sector. Comparable to Harlow in size, public-sector focus, and mixed-methods delivery.
• BMG Research: BMG Research is a UK social and market research company delivering surveys, evaluation, and policy research to government and third-sector clients. Comparable in mixed-methods capability and public-sector focus, though larger in headcount.
• IFF Research: IFF Research is a UK-headquartered social and market research consultancy delivering mixed-methods evaluation, policy research, and stakeholder surveys to public and third-sector clients. It is one of the closest direct peers to Harlow in scope, methodology, and client mix.
• Ecorys UK: Ecorys is an international research and consultancy company with a strong UK practice in policy evaluation, impact assessment, and skills/workforce research for government and EU/UK funders. Overlaps with Harlow across heritage, skills, and innovation evaluations.
• PPL: PPL is a UK social enterprise providing research, evaluation, and analysis for public, third, and private-sector clients. Shares Harlow's mixed-methods, evidence-based approach and public-sector client base.
• SQW: SQW provides economic development, regeneration, and public policy research and evaluation to UK government, NDPBs, and local authorities. Closely comparable to Harlow's construction/housing, skills, and economic regeneration work.
• Bryson Purdon Social Research: BPSR is a UK social research consultancy delivering qualitative and quantitative evaluation for public sector clients. Comparable in approach and clientele to Harlow, particularly in social policy and programme evaluation.

Broad incumbents

• Kantar Public (UK): Kantar Public is a major UK public-sector research and evaluation practice within Kantar. Competes with Harlow for government and charity research commissions but operates at much greater scale with proprietary data assets and panel capabilities.
• ICF International (UK): ICF is a large global consulting firm with a substantial UK public-sector practice in policy research, evaluation, and technical assistance. Competes with Harlow on UK government evaluation tenders but offers a far broader service portfolio and global delivery.

Emerging players

• The Behavioural Insights Team: BIT is a UK-based social purpose company applying behavioural science research and randomised evaluations to public policy. Overlaps with Harlow in policy and programme evaluation but with a distinctive RCT and behavioural science methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harlow-consulting

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harlow Consulting