Each month, more than 10 million people rely on content I wrote. I have 15 years of experience crafting clear, emotionally safe content for high-stakes government and financial services. I specialise in trauma-informed content practice, building frameworks and practical delivery that protect users while meeting policy and regulatory needs. I help public sector and regulated organisations scale empathy in their communications, improve accessibility, and develop internal capability across the full GDS delivery lifecycle. My work has driven measurable improvements—from national reporting standards adopted across 81% of UK forces to resilient, user-friendly content that supports vulnerable users and reduces errors.…

Adrie van der Luijt

Each month, more than 10 million people rely on content I wrote. I have 15 years of experience crafting clear, emotionally safe content for high-stakes government and financial services. I specialise in trauma-informed content practice, building frameworks and practical delivery that protect users while meeting policy and regulatory needs. I help public sector and regulated organisations scale empathy in their communications, improve accessibility, and develop internal capability across the full GDS delivery lifecycle. My work has driven measurable improvements—from national reporting standards adopted across 81% of UK forces to resilient, user-friendly content that supports vulnerable users and reduces errors.…

Available to hire

Each month, more than 10 million people rely on content I wrote. I have 15 years of experience crafting clear, emotionally safe content for high-stakes government and financial services. I specialise in trauma-informed content practice, building frameworks and practical delivery that protect users while meeting policy and regulatory needs.

I help public sector and regulated organisations scale empathy in their communications, improve accessibility, and develop internal capability across the full GDS delivery lifecycle. My work has driven measurable improvements—from national reporting standards adopted across 81% of UK forces to resilient, user-friendly content that supports vulnerable users and reduces errors.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent
Dutch
Fluent
French
Advanced

Work Experience

Founder at Trauma-Informed Content Consulting
January 1, 2024 - November 13, 2025
Developing a trauma-informed framework and resources to help organisations design emotionally safe, accessible content and services; producing articles, podcasts and training materials; delivering talks that explore trauma-informed and micro-trauma-aware approaches to content design.
Senior Content Strategist and Content Designer at Bankside Communications Ltd
December 1, 2009 - November 13, 2025
Independent contractor providing content strategy and design across client programmes; led content patterns, governance and cross-channel content.
Content Designer at The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo)
March 1, 2024 - March 1, 2024
Defined content strategy and operational documentation for Ofcom-mmandated switching process; produced process maps, user and operations manuals, website and annual report; delivered a unified content framework adopted across member providers.
Senior Content Designer at Metropolitan Police Service
May 1, 2023 - May 1, 2023
Developed national online reporting and advice for drink and needle spiking; conducted user research with victims and charities; created reusable trauma-informed language patterns; validated by legal and policy teams; adopted by 81% of UK forces; commended for giving victims genuine control and emotional safety.
Content Designer at Cabinet Office
December 1, 2020 - December 1, 2020
Designed content for fraud prevention during COVID-19 emergency grant schemes; created UI copy, prototypes and guidance for cross-department adoption; aligned stakeholders and delivery teams; governance and data-protection compliance.
Senior Content Strategist & Content Designer at Government Digital Service (GDS)
May 1, 2019 - May 1, 2019
Brexit-ready content across departments under tight deadlines; established shared style and publication standards; produced templates and guidance; reduced duplication and improved accessibility.
Content Designer at Ofsted
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
Streamlined childcare provider registration by combining five paper forms into an online flow; reduced staff assistance time; praised for clarity and fairness.
Content Designer at Forestry Commission
April 1, 2018 - April 1, 2018
Brexit-related plant-health certificate updates; migrated forms to GOV.UK; simplified language and mapped user journeys for exporters and importers.
Content Designer at ACAS
September 1, 2017 - September 1, 2017
Rewrote PDFs for mobile access and compliance visibility; improved accessibility and search; strengthened internal content capability.
Content Strategist at Civil Service Resourcing
April 1, 2017 - April 1, 2017
Created wireframes and prototype content for a new Civil Service careers site; validated by GDS; informed redesign of careers material to improve clarity and engagement.
Content Strategist at Cancer Research UK
March 1, 2017 - March 1, 2017
Redesigned 5,000 cancer-information pages to reduce cognitive load and anxiety; led 14-person Agile team; delivered accessible, medically accurate content; finalist for UK Website of the Year.
Content Designer at Companies House
August 1, 2016 - August 1, 2016
Digitised 70 forms into GOV.UK-compliant online equivalents; completed within deadline; reduced error rates and processing time.
Content Designer at Environment Agency
May 1, 2016 - May 1, 2016
Redesigned flood-funding spreadsheet tool; reduced submission errors by 90%; collaborated with policy and technical teams to align processes and improve clarity.
Content Strategist & Lead Copywriter at PwC
November 1, 2015 - November 1, 2015
Led content team to create multi-media content patterns for local councils; improved accessibility and consistency; framework adopted across councils.
Content Designer at Rural Payment Agency (Defra)
April 1, 2015 - April 1, 2015
Digitised subsidy applications; established content standards, simplified guidance and restructured journeys; user testing showed improved comprehension; programme halted later due to technical issues beyond content remit.
Content Designer at Universal Credit (DWP)
August 1, 2013 - August 1, 2013
Led creation of all online content; aligned with GDS standards; reduced redundant questions by 70%; improved user clarity and reduced call-centre demand; helped establish a model for subsequent GDS transactional services.
Senior Content Designer (SC cleared) at Metropolitan Police Service
May 1, 2023 - May 1, 2023
Designed national online reporting and advice for drink and needle spiking; conducted user research with victims and charities; created reusable trauma-informed language patterns; balance empathy with evidential precision; service adopted by 81% of UK forces.
Content Designer (SC cleared) at Cabinet Office
December 1, 2020 - December 1, 2020
Designed content for SaaS counter-fraud tools during COVID-19 emergency grant schemes; created UI copy, prototypes and guidance for cross-department adoption; tools recognised by Number 10 as 'star performers' and reused beyond pandemic funding.
Senior Content Designer (SC cleared) at Government Digital Service
May 1, 2019 - May 1, 2019
Established shared style and publication standards for Brexit-ready content during high uncertainty; ensured coherent, accessible messaging across departments and reduced duplication under tight deadlines.
Content Strategist and Lead Copywriter at PwC
November 1, 2015 - November 1, 2015
Led content team to create multi-media content patterns, UX designs and guidance for local councils; framework adopted across multiple councils.
Content Designer at Rural Payments Agency (Defra)
April 1, 2015 - April 1, 2015
Created content standards and simplified guidance for online subsidy applications replacing paper-based processes for £2 billion in EU funding; restructured user journeys to reduce form complexity.
Content Designer, Universal Credit at Department for Work and Pensions
August 1, 2013 - August 1, 2013
Led creation of all online content for Universal Credit; pioneered GDS-aligned content standards for transactional services; cut redundant questions by 70% and reduced user errors and calls.
Editorial Leadership / Content Strategy at Various organisations
December 31, 2012 - December 31, 2012
Earlier content and editorial roles including work for The AA, Nationwide Building Society and other clients; provided editorial direction and content strategy across multiple organisations.

Education

HND Journalism at Institute for Social Sciences, Leiden
January 11, 2030 - November 13, 2025
Advanced writing for GOV.UK at GOV.UK
January 1, 2018 - November 13, 2025
Trauma-informed user research at Independent training
January 1, 2023 - November 13, 2025
HND Journalism at Institute for Social Sciences, Leiden
January 11, 2030 - November 13, 2025

Qualifications

SC Clearance
January 11, 2030 - November 13, 2025
SC clearance
January 11, 2030 - November 13, 2025
Game Changer award (Cabinet Office COVID counter-fraud project)
January 11, 2030 - November 13, 2025

Industry Experience

Government, Professional Services, Healthcare, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment
    uniE621 Metropolitan Police Service - National drink and needle spiking advice service
    When someone reports drink spiking or domestic abuse at 3 am, every word must inspire trust and confidence. Working with police services, I crafted content that acknowledged the victim's fear and uncertainty, while communicating clearly that their safety is the absolute priority. The tone, pacing and structure can mean the difference between someone continuing to seek help or giving up in frustration.…
    uniE621 Department for Work and Pensions - Universal Credit
    I was responsible for all online content for the launch of the UK government's flagship welfare reform project. In the early days of Universal Credit, I was often the only voice in the room advocating for plain English and user-centred design. I pioneer GDS guidelines for GOV.UK. Government systems have historically put the burden of understanding on citizens rather than taking responsibility for clarity. By challenging each piece of jargon and questioning every data request, we created a service that worked with people rather than against them at a time of financial vulnerability. publicsector government finances…
    uniE621 Cancer Research UK - About Cancer
    For cancer patients and their families, information isn't just information; it's a lifeline. Through extensive user research, I discovered that patients needed personalised, trustworthy information with precise control over what they engaged with. Some wanted to know everything about side effects; others couldn't bear to read about prognosis yet. The solution wasn't just about clarity; it was about creating pathways that respected each person's emotional journey alongside their medical one. healthcare charity…
    uniE621 UK Cabinet Office - Spotlight
    Creating effective counter-fraud measures presents a unique challenge: how do you gather the information needed for background checks without arousing suspicion or creating undue anxiety? I designed content and interfaces that collected crucial data in ways that felt natural and unobtrusive. This delicate balance between security requirements and user experience meant that legitimate applicants could navigate the process smoothly while still allowing for effective fraud detection. The project was praised by Downing Street as a 'star performer in the UK government's Covid-19 response'.…
    uniE621 Defra Rural Payments Agency - CAP Rural Payments
    Farmers and other landowners were able to claim billions of pounds in EU funding before Brexit. I created content standards and simplified guidance for online subsidy applications, replacing paper-based processes. I restructured user journeys to reduce form complexity and worked with policy and IT teams to align processes. User testing confirmed that the redesigned content significantly improved comprehension and self-service rates among the target audience. agriculture government farming finance…
    uniE621 Ten Alps plc - Director of Finance Online
    I was editor for the launch and development of this FTSE250 CFO news website for Sir Bob Geldof's media firm Ten Alps plc. I created wireframes, information architecture, tone of voice guidance, newsletters and blogs. I also commissioned blogs and articles. Within three months of launch, the Wall Street Journal quoted the website on international accounting standards. I wrote at least five corporate finance, compliance, management, HR and legal news items and feature articles a day, all included on Google News and often beating national media to the top spot.…
    uniE621 Ten Alps plc - SME Web
    I launched and developed SME Web for Sir Bob Geldof's Ten Alps plc. I created wireframes, information architecture, editorial calendar, UX/UI design, tone of voice guides, blogs and content strategy. I wrote and commissioned news articles, in-depth reports and analyses on entrepreneurship, management, finance, human resources, marketing, technology and IT. The website rapidly built a community among SME business owners through engaging content and sound, practical advice. SME news editorial management publishing…
    uniE621 DeskDemon.com
    I spearheaded the launch of what quickly became the market-leading online community for executive assistants and office managers in both the UK and US. Working with a substantial budget during the first internet boom, I led a team of 10 people and established strategic partnerships with major brands including Hilton Hotels. I reduced operational costs by bringing SEO and other technical functions in-house rather than outsourcing them. I designed and hosted the DeskDemon PA of the Year Awards, and regularly represented the brand at EA events nationwide. news editor B2B contentstrategist…