Economists are to be urged by Sir Gus O’Donnell, Britain’s top civil servant, to offer free help to charity, in an initiative that might allow practitioners of the “dismal science” to atone for any errors they made during the financial crash.

Although some charities might wonder whether economists have done enough damage already, Sir Gus will argue the voluntary sector can gain from having access to their analytical skills. He also believes economists will gain by working with charities, gaining more experience of the real world and applying their skills to problems on the ground.