The Yangtze River Basin in China is subject to high inter- and intra-annual variability in its rainfall, leading to challenges in flood protection and for the high-value agricultural activity and large urban populations and infrastructure along its banks. As part of the Climate Science for Services Partnership in China, Chinese and UK scientists, along with key decision makers in this region, are working closely together to understand the needs for climate information, co-develop a seasonal rainfall forecast service aiming to help meet these needs, and evaluate the value or usefulness of this service in supporting decision making to manage risk in the lower Yangtze Basin. We find that there is a range of users reliant on such a service, and that the current service contributes strongly to decision-making for many users. Through close co-operation between providers and users of the service, we also gain a good understanding of the limitations of the current service and outline developments needed to enhance its utility.