Public bodies are frequently abolished, but there is little public guidance on how to do this. This report sets out ten practical lessons to help ministers and civil servants to decide when abolitions should happen and then to manage them well. The authors conclude that more careful analysis, including a proportionate business case, should be carried out in advance of an abolition decision. They suggest that ministers and civil servants should prioritise positive communication, sensible deadlines and recruiting an experienced and skilled transition team if they want to maximise the benefits of change.