A policy white paper sets out a case for change and the proposals that follow from it. Governments use white papers to state their policy, often before legislation. Think tanks, NGOs, universities and trade bodies use the same name for papers that set out their analysis and proposals. This page explains what a government white paper is, how it differs from a green paper and a policy brief, and gives a policy white paper template to copy.
White paper, green paper or policy brief?
The names are used differently across countries and organisations, so treat this as the common pattern, not a rule.
| Document | Purpose | Typical length | Commits the author? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green paper | Sets out a problem and options and asks for views | Medium | No: it consults |
| Government white paper | States the policy the government proposes and how it will act, sometimes inviting comments on the detail | Long | Yes, to a direction |
| Policy white paper (think tank, NGO, sector body) | Sets out an organisation's analysis and proposals | Long | To its own position |
| Policy brief | Informs one decision: key messages, evidence, options, recommendation | 2 to 4 pages | Usually recommends |
If you need a short document for one decision, write a policy brief instead; the Writing Studio has a Policy brief module for that. For a longer explanation with examples from several governments, read the post on the government white paper.
The policy white paper template (copy this)
Square brackets are the parts you replace. Word counts assume a 5,000-word paper.
[TITLE: the change proposed, in plain words]
[Issuing body] | [Date] | [Status: for consultation / final]
SUMMARY (300 words)
The problem, the objective, the main proposals in a numbered list,
and how readers can respond.
1. INTRODUCTION (about 300 words)
The purpose of the paper, who it is for, what it builds on
(earlier consultation, reviews, commitments).
2. THE CASE FOR CHANGE (about 900 words)
What is wrong now, who it affects and what it costs, with cited
evidence. What has been tried and why it has not been enough.
3. OBJECTIVES (about 200 words)
What success looks like, with measures where possible.
4. PROPOSALS (about 1,600 words)
Proposal 1: [what will change]
Rationale: [the evidence, cited]
Expected effect: [...]
Cost: [estimate and source, or to be assessed]
Who must act: [body or role]
Proposal 2: [...]
Proposal 3: [...]
5. OPTIONS CONSIDERED (about 500 words)
Table: option | benefits | costs and risks | strength of evidence
| why chosen or not
6. IMPLEMENTATION AND TIMELINE (about 500 words)
Phases, legislation or regulation needed, funding, responsibilities.
7. IMPACT (about 450 words)
Benefits, costs, equity and distributional effects, risks.
8. CONSULTATION QUESTIONS (numbered)
1. Do you agree with proposal 1? Why or why not?
2. [...]
How to respond: [address, deadline]
9. NEXT STEPS (about 150 words)
REFERENCES
ANNEXES: evidence review, impact assessment, glossary
Notes on each section
| Section | What the reader checks | Common fault |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | What is proposed, and can I respond? | No list of proposals |
| Case for change | Is the problem real and is the evidence fair? | Evidence chosen only to support the answer |
| Objectives | How will we know it worked? | Objectives no one can measure |
| Proposals | What exactly changes, and who does it? | Proposals with no owner or cost |
| Options considered | Were the alternatives taken seriously? | The rejected options are straw men |
| Impact | Who gains and who loses? | No equity or distributional analysis |
| Consultation questions | Can I give a useful answer? | Leading questions |
A filled example (invented)
Example only. The body, proposals and figures are invented to show the level of detail. Citations are left as (Author, Year) placeholders.
Title: Safer Journeys to School: Proposals for 20 mph Zones Around Primary Schools
Proposal 1: Introduce 20 mph limits on streets within [distance] of every primary school by [year].
- Rationale: lower speeds are associated with fewer and less severe pedestrian injuries (Author, Year).
- Expected effect: [to be estimated in the impact assessment].
- Cost: [estimate from the transport department].
- Who must act: local highway authorities, with guidance from [ministry].
Consultation question 1: Should the 20 mph limit apply at all times or only at school start and finish times? Please give reasons and any evidence.
For more examples of each kind of white paper, see the white paper examples post.
How to draft a policy white paper with AI
- Open the Writing Studio, choose White paper under Deliverables and set the kind to Policy or government white paper.
- Set the reader to Policy makers and officials or An informed general reader for a public consultation.
- Keep the voice educational and neutral for an options paper, or choose make the case for our approach to argue for your organisation's proposals.
- Paste or upload what you already have in the material field: current policy, local figures, your organisation's position. It is used exactly as given; costs and local facts you do not give become [placeholders].
- Choose the sources (All papers for most policy areas, Medical for health policy) and run it. The draft has a summary, the case for change (cited), objectives, numbered proposals with rationale, cost and who must act, an options table, implementation, impact, consultation questions and next steps.
- Open it in the editor, check every cited study and placeholder, and export to Word or PDF.
| Way to fill it | What you get | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Copy the block above | The outline as text | 0 |
| White paper module, one section | One section, cited | 3 |
| White paper module, whole paper | A full first draft | 15 |
| Policy brief module | A short brief for one decision | 15 |
What this template and the AI do not do
- It does not know your government's current policy, legal powers, budgets or commitments unless you give them.
- Research from other countries may not transfer. The draft says where evidence comes from a different setting; you judge whether it applies.
- It does not produce an official impact assessment or a legal analysis. Officials, economists and legal advisers do that.
- A draft is not a position. Your organisation's normal sign-off applies before anything is published.
Other white paper templates
- White paper template: the general format for any white paper.
- Technical white paper template: architecture, performance and comparison.
- Scientific white paper: the state of the science for decision makers.
- AI white paper writer: all seven kinds of white paper the module writes.
Last updated 2026-11-13