News and views
Tell the government what you think of the new social value changes
Has the government got it right on social value? Fill in our short survey to tell policy makers what you think.
The government has recently announced changes to the way it spends money on goods and services to create social value.
We really do welcome Andy Burnham’s emphasis and dedication to social value, but alongside good policy changes such as doubling the social value weighting to 20% on contracts of £5 million or more, there are also some concerning aspects. There’s a new £1 million threshold below which social value requirements no longer apply, and the definition of social value itself has also been restricted to only look at jobs and skills.
Social enterprises are set up to deliver social value; it’s in their DNA. This narrowing of its definition and limitation of its scope could have a detrimental impact on those organisations who are best placed to deliver the PM’s promise of ‘growth in every postcode’.
Let’s show government why we must stand up for social value!
Government has said it will publish technical guidance in autumn 2026 ahead of implementation in January 2027, and has left the door open for further evidence, which is why we need to hear what you think.
We now have a narrow window of time to come together as a movement of businesses with social value at their heart to share our concerns and campaign for change.
We’ve put together a short 5-10 min survey and will use responses to form a set of recommendations for the UK government while the guidance is still being finalised. Please complete the survey before 5pm on Monday 21 September. We’ll publish the recommendations once all responses have been collated and considered
TAKE THE SURVEY AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES
Your responses will also form the basis of an letter to the PM, which we will open for signatures later this month.
Let’s stand up for social value so that it lives up to its potential!
