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The winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2026 were announced at New Century Hall in Manchester on the evening of 12 November. With a theme of ‘All Together Now ’, the evening was a celebration of the spirit of unity, co-operation and community that is at  the heart of the social enterprise movement. Winners showed how social enterprises and co-operatives across the country are transforming lives, empowering communities, and protecting our planet. From bakeries employing refugees to a co-operative transforming the farming industry, people-powered public services to worker owned ethical supermarkets – every one of this year’s winners shows that another way of doing business is not only possible, it’s already happening. Meet the winners of the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2026. UK Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by supporting business Keegan & Pennykid The overall award for a social enterprise that has a clear vision, excellence in impact, and that has demonstrated and promoted social enterprise beyond the sector. Breadwinners Breadwinnerssupports young refugees and people seeking asylum into employment, training, and mentoring, while building community connection through the sale of organic baked goods across London and Brighton. By combining paid work experience with skills development, Breadwinners is helping young people build confidence, improve wellbeing and access opportunities. It uses organic products and sustainability across its supply chain, creating a model where social, environmental and economic impact go hand in hand. Since launching in 2016, Breadwinners has supported more than 1,000 young people. It is creating opportunities, breaking down barriers and challenging narratives on refugees and asylum seekers. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Flexible Childcare Services Scotland Co-op of the Year Sponsored by co-operative champion Co-op A new category this year, Co-op of the Year will recognise a co-operative of any size, model or type that best demonstrates a sustainable and successful business model, underpinned by the values and principles of co-operation.  Fram Farmers Fram Farmers is a farmer-owned co-operative providing the purchasing, crop marketing and administrative function for more than 1,400 farming businesses across Great Britain. It acts as an extension to the farm office of all its members, with more than 70 industry professionals purchasing and marketing members’ core agricultural inputs and outputs on their behalf, providing expert independent advice and reducing administrative burdens. Fram Farmers shows the importance of co-operatives in supporting the farming industry, strengthening farmers’ voices and pooling together expertise. It is playing a vital role in the food system and supporting those on the front line of getting food on our plates. HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Channel Islands Co-operative Society Limited One to Watch Award Sponsored by supporting business Bunzl Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies The One to Watch Award is for a start-up social enterprise. Key to winning this award is an ability to clearly articulate their future vision and how they are going to achieve it. Jaskulla Mentoring CIC Oxford-based social enterprise Jaskulla Mentoring CICis dedicated to preventing educational exclusion. Operating across Oxfordshire and beyond, it supports vulnerable children navigating trauma and neurodivergence who display extreme, distress-led behaviours that push mainstream settings to breaking point. Its expert educators use trauma-informed therapeutic interventions to help children transition from crisis back to learning. Jaskulla works to restore hope and community by ensuring every child feels seen, supported and safe. Prove It: Social Impact Award Sponsored by supporting business Freshfields For a social enterprise that can truly demonstrate and communicate their impact with their stakeholders. Migrateful Migrateful is a social enterprise that supports asylum seekers, refugees and migrants on their journey to employment and independence – and works to build a more inclusive and welcoming society. It does this by offering cookery classes, where migrant chefs share their traditional cuisine, culture and stories with the public. To date, the business has trained 128 chefs to deliver 5,900+ cookery classes to 69,700+ participants.  Migrateful is supporting refugees gain confidence and experience, with 86% of chefs graduating from its programmes last year having now progressed into employment. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Breathe Arts Health Research ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award Sponsored by social enterprise champion Corps Security For a social enterprise, public sector body or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts within its own organisation and remit to create more opportunities to buy from social enterprises. Willmott Dixon Founded in 1852 and still family-owned,Willmott Dixon is one of the UK’s leading privately owned construction and interiors companies. Delivering projects across education, health, science, commercial and community sectors, the organisation creates brilliant buildings, improves lives and enhances the environment for future generations. Through responsible procurement,social value partnerships and sustainable practices, Willmott Dixon uses its scale and influence to strengthen communities, support local economies and create lasting impact. Since 2020, Willmott Dixon has spent more than £22.7 million with social businesses, using its purchasing power to create opportunities for purpose-led organisations across the UK. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Compass UK&I powered by Foodbuy Social Investment Deal of the Year Sponsored by social enterprise champions Bevan CBS, Navigo and Social adVentures For an organisation that has been part of a great investment deal in the last 12 months that has helped the social enterprise to grow or the movement as a whole to develop and flourish. For the first time, this year saw two social investment deals take home the prize! The Brick & Social And Sustainable Capital (SASC) The Brick, a Wigan-based charity tackling poverty and homelessness, secured a £1.93 million social investment loan from Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC), enabling it to realise its impact. It purchased 40 housing units, including 15 self-contained flats, six houses and a trauma-informed young person’s house. The organisation moved from leasing to owning properties and gained greater control over the quality and availability of the supported accommodation it provides. The Reader & Livv Investment (part of Livv Housing Group) Livv Investment’s Livv and Flourish Fund provided a £144k loan and £15k grant to The Reader, a charity improving wellbeing through shared reading. This has helped ensure The Reader continues to be a vital resource for wellbeing and social cohesion – growing the proposition; generating an increase in shared reading and social subscribing; increasing capacity for volunteer programmes; creating 15 new jobs and supporting the development of staff and volunteers. Public Services Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by social enterprise champion GLL For a social enterprise for whom the majority of their income comes from the public sector and which delivers public services (for central or local government, NHS, criminal justice or other statutory body). Turning Point Turning Point is one of the UK’s leading health and social care providers. With more than 60 years’ experience, it supports people facing challenges relating to substance use, mental health, learning disabilities and other complex needs. From detox treatment and rehabilitation to supported living and community services, Turning Point provides personalised support that empowers people to improve their wellbeing, build independence and make positive changes in their lives. As well as delivering life changing services, the social enterprise also generated £171.95 million in soical value over the last year and invested over £10 million in supporting local voluntary, community and other social enterprise organisations. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Community Dental Services CIC Consumer Facing Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by supporting business GAIL’s For a social enterprise that delivers a retail product or service to the general public. Unicorn Grocery Based in Chorlton, South Manchester, Unicorn offers affordable, wholesome food with an emphasis on organic, fair-trade and local produce. From organic fruit and veg to fresh bread and store cupboard staples, Unicorn aims to cultivate stronger connectionsbetween food, its producers and consumers. As a workers’ co-operative owned by those who work in it, Unicorn’s values, quality and accessible pricing make it one of the UK’s largest, most successful wholefood groceries. Every week it serves around 6,500 customers making it a staple of the community. HIGHLY COMMENDED: NEMI Teas Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by supporting business PwC For a social enterprise in the education, training or employment sectors that can demonstrate excellence in vision and strategic direction, and clearly evidence their social, environmental and community impact. Connection Crew + Stitch Connection Crew is the UK’s only social enterprise and B Corp-certified full-service events crewing company. On a mission to help end homelessness through the power of work, it supplies trained crew to live events, festivals, TV and film across the UK – and production services through its Stitch brand. Since its inception, more than 508 people affected by homelessness have delivered more than 301,438 hours of on-site paid work. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Platfform Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by co-operative champion OurCoop For a social enterprise in the green and environmental sector with a clear evidenced environmental impact. Changeworks Changeworks is a leading Scottish charity and social enterprise dedicated to decarbonising homes, tackling fuel poverty and delivering a just transition to net zero. Established in 1987, it’s a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It provides energy advice and retrofit support to households across Scotland. As a social enterprise, Changeworks reinvests any surplus income into its charitable activities, allowing the organisation to scale and develop its services. Social Enterprise Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Justice Award Sponsored by supporting business Deloitte Social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category is open to all social enterprises who are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion and equity. Foundervine Foundervine is on a mission to make innovation open to anyone, anywhere. Since 2018, it has supported 1,654 businesses, created 3,446 jobs and helped founders raise £103 million, working predominantly with women, Black, disabled and other underrepresented entrepreneurs. Through its Access, Acceleration and Advocacy framework, Foundervine delivers accelerators, coaching, investor introductions and advocacy. It operates across the UK, USA and Ghana, embedding equity into entrepreneurship from the ground up. It also works to challenge inequalities in the wider investment system. Social Enterprise Women’s Champion of the Year Sponsored by supporting business Amazon Business For a woman working in the senior leadership team of a social enterprise who represents excellence in her field of work. Areej AbuAli - Women in Tech SEO Areej AbuAli is the Founder of Women in Tech SEO, a global social enterprise supporting women and people of marginalised genders in SEO, digital marketing and technology. An author, international speaker and community builder, she has grown the organisation to a network of more than 12,000 members across 100+ countries. Through mentorship, education, scholarships and career development initiatives, Areej is helping create a more equitable and inclusive technology industry. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Saskia Lighburn-Ritchie - MyCWA (Cheshsire Without Abuse) /Domestic Abuse Experts International Impact Award Sponsored by social enterprise champion Change Please For a social enterprise working internationally, and which are having a big impact in their field. This award is open to UK-based organisations only with existing international operations. WildHearts Office WildHearts Office is a carbon-neutral office supplies and print supplier, reinvesting all profits into social and environmental initiatives. Through WildHearts Africa, it addresses gender inequality and period poverty across rural South Africa, empowering girls to stay in school and complete their studies, by providing them with basic menstrual products and education. Part of the WildHearts Group, which has transformed more than three million lives, it combines commercial success with international social impact. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Social Enterprise World Forum CIC Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by supporting business GM Business Growth Hub This award is for a social enterprise that trades for the benefit of their community, making a real local impact. Social Enterprise Kent Social Enterprise Kent (SEK) CIC is a social enterprise supporting people, communities and organisations across Kent and Medway. Founded in 1985, SEK delivers training, employability, health and wellbeing programmes, social value partnerships andmore. Each year, SEK supports more than 10,000 people while strengthening charities, community groups and social enterprises through funding, mentoring, networks and strategic leadership. With all surpluses reinvested into social purpose, SEK combines commercial discipline with community impact. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Baltic Creative CIC HIGHLY COMMENDED: Brymbo Heritage Trust Social Enterprise Technology or Innovation of the Year Sponsored by social enterprise champion Fusion21 This award open to social enterprises using new technology or bringing something innovative to the market in the past year. Outcomes Star Outcomes Star develops digital tools that help health, social care and community organisations measure progress and wellbeing among people they support. Recent innovations include Collaborative Session, a feature that enables support workers andservice users to complete assessments together online, track progress and plan next steps. The Navigation Stars are assessmenttools that help young people, families and professionals identify barriers, coordinate support and measure progress for those with complex needs. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hope 4 The Community CIC Awards sponsors The Awards were delivered in partnership between Social Enterprise UK and Co-operatives UK A big thank you to Cwmpas, Social Enterprise Northern Ireland and Social Enterprise Scotland for their support in delivering the Awards.

The Government has published PPN026, the new guidance on social value for commissioners. Did your recommendations change their thinking? With nearly a million young people aged 16-24 not in employment, education or training (NEET), the government's decision to reward contractors for jobs and skills creation is, to some extent, understandable. But as is so often the case with policy, the devil is in the detail. Narrowing the definition of social value to jobs and skills seems to mean every other social value consideration - improving health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, support for vulnerable or underserved communities, for example – is out. And the removal of any social value weighting for contracts of £1m or less raised the prospect of profit maximising private sector companies with better resources outscoring social enterprises, which are constituted to create social value. Our members had plenty to say about it, so in response we launched a survey to collect these views and whittled down the responses to a set of four recommendations for government. Now new guidance for commissioners has arrived in the shape of Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 026 has arrived. So were the concerns of our members addressed? Reinstating supply chain diversity as a scored outcome Verdict: win. Outcome 1 ('Good jobs') in PPN 026 recognises the link between VCSEs in the supply chain and the creation of good jobs; "activities to increase the number of SME, scale-ups and VCSEs in the supply chain" is part of the criteria. Prioritising contracts of £1m and under for SMEs and VCSEs Verdict: not mandatory but strongly suggested. It's not explicitly stated that smaller contracts should go to VCSEs and SMEs, but a section in PPN 026 with the subheading 'Direct contract awards' states "You do not need to apply PPN 026 if awarding a public contract directly to a supplier of your choosing without a competitive tendering procedure." At the same time, the guidance also recognises the inherent value of VCSEs (something we have been lobbying for consistently), stating "Some organisations, such as VCSEs, can deliver social value as standard practice". Adding weight to the case for commissioning social enterprises is Annex E of PPN 026, which directs commissioners to "ensure you follow expectations set out elsewhere, such as the National Procurement Policy Statement". As we previously reported, this recognised social enterprises "are more likely to generate diverse and thriving local economies, creating jobs and economic growth" and stated that the number one requirement for economic growth in the NPPS is to "maximise procurement spend with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and VCSEs". Require subcontracting transparency Verdict: unclear. Back in 2018 (in PPN01/18) the Government told commissioners it wanted to "level the playing field and increase the visibility of supply chain opportunities to assist suppliers, including SMEs, in bidding for work in its supply chains". This would also help social enterprises see who they were up against, in part to see if those suppliers could be considered to offer social value. The new guidance states that PPN 026 replaces all previous PPNs on social value, so, at first glance, it would seem that transparency has disappeared. However, under the Procurement Act (2023), suppliers must provide details of their sub-contractors. The new guidance says PPN026 does not replace the requirements included in other guidance documents or legislation. Require independent verification of KPIs Verdict: loss. While there is specific mention of KPIs, and confirmation that "evidence of poor performance against the social value KPIs can be used to exclude them from bidding on future contracts," there is nothing advocating mandatory independent verification of these. If the commissioner is especially diligent, they may scrutinise social value reporting, as PPN026 advises ensuring "that the monitoring and reporting of social value outcomes is appropriate." Slightly better news is that there will be Ofsted like ratings for the KPIs (such as 'good', 'requires improvement', 'inadequate' etc.) and that these may be public. Commissioners are advised to publish them on the Central Digital Platform, and, for bigger contracts of £5m+, contract performance notices should be published every 12 months. In other news There will be a defined list of 'Community Programmes' held nationally which bidders can make commitments with. These will be established jobs/skills programmes helping people with barriers to employment. We'll be interested to see who is on that list of providers (will they all be national charities/big employability programmes?) and how it will develop. Smaller, locally rooted VCSEs need a route in, given their knowledge and relationships -and the list shouldn’t become a substitute for engaging with the wider local sector. That this is the 26th Procurement Policy Note suggests that changes to guidance will continue. As such, Social Enterprise UK will continue to engage with government to lobby for policy that benefits our members.

Social Enterprise Day is just around the corner, and this year it will take place on Thursday 19 November. It's a global day created to raise the profile of the social enterprise community, and for this year's campaign we're going to be doing something a little different!  Shout about your impact in your community Growth in every postcode and hope in every heart...These words may sound familiar to some of you; they were said by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, setting out his vision for the country. However, for this to be made a reality, it has to involve the businesses on the ground making real change for communities - the UK's social enterprise movement!  For this year's Social Enterprise Day campaign, we'd like to bring social enterprises together in a simple online campaign to shout about the differences you are making in every single part of the United Kingdom. It's a chance to demonstrate your impact to the community you're based in, raise the profile of your work, and join together with other social enterprises to show how in pretty much every postcode you are there - changing lives and showing that another way of doing business is possible. Let's show everyone the power of social enterprise in every community! How to get involved on 19 November We've created an editable social media graphic on Canva, to demonstrate that social enterprises are working all around country, and across nearly every sector, and to also shine a spotlight on your impact. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DAY GRAPHIC What if your business operates nationally? We know that many social enterprises do not work in a single location operating across counties, nationally and even internationally. Dont' worry though, you can still get involved and here's a few ideas how... You could choose to focus on a single project in a specific area such as one community health project you're running, a recycling service based in a particular area, or one of your sites. Of course, you can always post multiple times about different areas you work in throughout the day. You can also create a slide show, editing a few versions of the template graphic and sticking them together to showcase your impact across the country! When to post What's crucial to make this campaign as impactful as possible is that we all post at the same time on Social Enterprise Day. Share your post at 10am on 19 November across your social media channels such as LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook and be sure to like and comment on those of friends and colleagues in the sector!  Do let us know if you've any Social Enterprise Day plans. Use #SocialEnterpriseDay and let's take over social media with our positive stories of hope, commnunity, and impact across every postcode. If you've any questions about getting involved, please email internalcommunications@socialenterprise.org.uk.

Addressing the cost-of-living crisis is the right thing to do, but an increase to the National Living Wage is going to be challenging for some social enterprises, writes Head of Public Affairs Jovan Owusu-Nepaul. After much anticipation, Chancellor John Healey delivered his first budget with Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the helm. After a tumultuous year, the British economy now finds itself moving towards greener pastures, with our economy outperforming many of our G7 counterparts. However, we all know that this set against the uncomfortable backdrop of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the on-going war in Iran. At Social Enterprise UK, we recognise the impact these challenges are having on our members. Social enterprises are rooted in their communities, trading to deliver social and environmental good, and often providing essential services where they are needed most. It is welcome that the Government has recognised the need to address the cost-of-living crisis and provide greater certainty for businesses. Measures to support small and independent businesses through business rates relief will be welcomed by many of our members. However, given the substantial social value social enterprises deliver, we would have liked to see further progress towards extending the tax reliefs available to charities to social enterprises. We hear, listen, and support members in their calls for the government to do more. Following your feedback, we recently wrote to the government asking them to restore social value weightings to contracts of £1million or less (relating to PPN 026).  We also suggested extending business rates relief for social enterprises, and the explicit recognition of social enterprises as part of the government’s growth strategy. This budget shows there is still much more to do. We will continue to advocate, campaign and demand the Treasury does more to support social enterprises.  We know that many members will have concerns about increases to the National Living Wage. Fair pay will always remain our priority; however, many social enterprises who deliver vital public services often operate within fixed, multi-year government contracts that do not adequately account for rising employment costs. The Government must ensure that these organisations are properly supported to pay their staff fairly without compromising the services on which communities depend. This Budget demonstrates that there is still more to do for the government to aptly recognise the economic growth social enterprises represent and to ensure our sector has the support needed to thrive. Social Enterprise UK will continue to work with members, MPs, civil servants and the Government to champion our sector, advocate for meaningful policy change and ensure social enterprises are fully recognised as part of the UK’s growth and public service ambitions. Image credit - Simon Walker / HM Treasury

Grid access, funding and revenue certainty are holding community energy back, an evidence session for the Social, Cooperative and Community Econonmy heard. Although many community energy social enterprises have been patiently plugging away for many years to create locally owned projects that yield a range of social and environmental benefits, they're now at the centre of a major government initiative. Established in law in 2025, Great British Energy (GBE) will invest more than £8.3bn over this Parliament to accelerate the country's transition to clean power. GBE's Local Power Plan aims to "revolutionise the UK's local and community energy sector". There are more than 600 community energy organisations in the UK, and more than half are community benefit societies, co-operatives or community interest companies, according to Community Energy England. Some 140 manage a community benefit fund, distributing almost £4m. They include Ambition Community Energy CIC, which, over seven years, built the tallest onshore wind turbine in England, in Lawrence Weston, near Bristol. The profit it makes from selling energy to the grid is being reinvested in the community, including helping local people experiencing fuel poverty. It will also support an Energy Learning Zone, the base for a skills academy for people aged eight to 80. As well as a just transition to clean energy, it was this kind of social value that attendees of the latest meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Social, Cooperative and Community Economy wanted to see recognised. Chaired by Patrick Hurley MP, the evidence session brought together community energy groups, investors and national bodies, alongside Great British Energy and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Attendees set out the obstacles holding the sector back, and their ideas for overcoming them. Connecting to the grid Ailsa Clark, founder of InspirAlba, a Campbeltown social enterprise that helps rural communities in Argyll and Bute build sustainable businesses, said the cost of joining the grid queue is a major barrier. To secure a connection, developers often have to put money down early, including financial security against the cost of network works, which they can lose if the project is cancelled. "Most community or municipal-owned developments are unable to take the risk of putting a big chunk of money down well in advance to get themselves in the queue," she said. Helen Seagrave, Director of Local Energy at Great British Energy, responded by saying that GBE is looking at how it can de-risk community projects, including by acting as a partner in them. Funding volunteer-led organisations Many community energy organisations are run by volunteers, and the Local Power Plan mainly funds individual projects rather than the organisations behind them. "I don't think we're going to get to scale if we're relying on the goodwill of fabulous people to give up their spare time," said Michaela Cryer, Managing Director of Younity (a partnership between Midcounties Co-op and Octopus Energy). "We need more paid support to really get these projects moving." Even established groups are stretched. Afsheen Kabir Rashid, CEO of Repowering London, said the co-op relies on grants for 90% of its income. "It's very hard to manage an enterprise based on project funding," she said. Revenue certainty To raise money through community shares, bonds or loans, projects need a reliable long-term income. The feed-in tariff used to guarantee that, but it closed in 2019. Its replacement, the Smart Export Guarantee, only requires suppliers to pay something above zero, and Contracts for Difference, which give large developers a guaranteed price for 15 years or more, exclude projects under 5MW. Deals with suppliers are short term too. "From a supplier's perspective, the market is only there for three years," said Barbara Hammond, CEO of Low Carbon Hub, who described the lack of revenue certainty as the biggest barrier. The difference certainty makes is clear in Kintyre. Fyne Energy, where Clark is a director, developed and built three community-owned turbines with a combined capacity of 6.9MW. They were projected to earn around £750,000 a year for local housing, employability and community projects, but are now making £1.2m to £1.5m a year. The turbines still receive feed-in tariff payments, which give them a guaranteed income floor, and they also sell their power. When wholesale prices soared during the energy crisis, that extra revenue went straight to the community. Measuring community wealth, not just megawatts Attendees argued that the Local Power Plan should be judged by the community wealth it creates, not just the megawatts it adds. Hammond said the plan is there "to scale that impact, not to scale the input". Matthew Vickers, CEO of Community Energy England, said community energy brings together "two streams of value that not many places do": benefits for the place, and for the energy system, because local generation can reduce the need for new grid infrastructure. The clearest message was that community energy should be treated as part of Britain's economic and social infrastructure, not simply another way of generating electricity. That means patient capital, investment in local organisations as well as installations, community ownership of larger schemes, public procurement that values social impact, and a clear role for Great British Energy. The evidence will feed into the APPG's inquiry, including the community energy chapter of a report due in 2027.

Survey respondents give strong backing for government supply chain diversity and reserving contracts below £1m for VCSEs and SMEs. Social enterprises also think the new definition of social value is too narrow. When we first published our response to the government's social value changes in August, we received a lot of feedback on social media, particularly on a post by our CEO Peter Holbrook. It was clear that members and stakeholders felt very strongly about this, and, as the national voice for social enterprise, we needed to represent those views to government. To clarify those views, we launched a survey. Open for a week, the survey had 95 responses; 66% of respondents told us they were social enterprises, 16% identified as charity or VCSE, 4% were cooperatives, and 14% of responses were from other kinds of organisations. More than two thirds of respondents bid for public sector contracts (70%), with a majority bidding for contracts under £1m (55%). The social value weighting for contracts for £5m or more doubled to 20% recently, but just 9% of respondents bid for these. The most common responses to the social value changes we initially received resulted in four main asks. We included these in the survey to ensure our stakeholders thought we'd got it right. They were: Reinstating supply chain diversity (listed in PPN002), as many social enterprises benefit from being subcontracted by suppliers winning larger contracts. Subcontracting transparency. Independent KPI verification, so that promises made on social value creation were kept. "Suppliers should not win contracts on promises nobody checks," wrote survey respondent Heidi Fisher of Make An Impact CIC,. £1m contracts or less offered to VCSEs and SMEs first. This was also reflected in feedback we got from the survey. DHU Healthcare, which provides a range of NHS services in the Midlands, wrote "Organisations such as Community Interest Companies are established to create community benefits and reinvest surpluses for social purpose. Procurement should provide a proportionate way to recognise the underlying business model and the social value it generates, alongside measurable contract-specific commitments." The four asks got strong support in the survey. We asked respondents to rate them from 1-5, with 1 being not important and 5 being essential. The average scores are listed below: New social value definition too narrow The survey also surfaced an additional recommendation for government. Whilst recognising that job opportunities and skills creation were important (and indeed, plenty of social enterprises are set up specifically to offer this), the new definition of social value was too narrow for our respondents. Several noted that it did not align with the Public Services (Social Value) Act, which requires commissioners to offer contracts producing economic, social and environmental benefits to communities. Mastercall Healthcare, which provides NHS services in the Northwest of England, articulated this very simply: "Social value should be defined broadly enough to recognise the full contribution organisations make to the communities they serve. In health and social care this should include reducing health inequalities, improving population health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, community engagement and co-design, local reinvestment and support for vulnerable or underserved communities. Local communities should also have a meaningful role in defining what social value and local benefit mean to them." When we asked respondents if social value should be defined more broadly than jobs and skills, 73% said yes. What happens next? We’ll be delivering your recommendations to the government, along with a letter to the Cabinet Office, which has been signed by social enterprises that paticipated in the survey. The letter was addressed to Minister for the Cabinet Office Louise Haigh MP (pictured above with PM Andy Burnham and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds) and Mark Ferguson MP. Picture by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street, published under a Creative Commons licence.

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 Please note this survey is now closed 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!

We’re proud to reveal the shortlist for the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2026! The Awards are a celebration of the pioneering social enterprise businesses which are transforming lives and empowering communities across the country. This year, we’re delighted to be co-producing the Awards with Co-operatives UK, recognising the vital role co-operatives have in shaping a fairer, more inclusive economy Across 15 different categories, the shortlist shows the strength, diversity, resilience and innovation of the social enterprise and co-operative movement across the economy. Whether it’s through delivering innovative public services, creating jobs and opportunities, embedding environmental sustainability into their work, breaking down barriers for marginalised groups, or selling outstanding products to the public - every one of the shortlist shows that another way of doing business is possible. We’ve also introduced a new category for 2026, The Co-op of the Year Award – shining a spotlight on the nation’s leading co-operative businesses. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS YEAR’S SHORTLIST Commenting on the announcement, Peter Holbrook our Chief Executive said: “Businesses usually only make headlines when they’ve been behaving badly or profiting at everyone else’s expense, so every year it’s a joy to celebrate those that are quietly getting on with the job of building a better Britain and providing a practical path to an economy that puts people and planet first. The UK Social Enterprise Awards celebrate the organisations focused on making communities healthier, happier and more environmentally friendly. They’re an inspiration to anyone looking for examples of ways to do business better.” ‌Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK, added: "It's brilliant to see so many outstanding co‑operatives on this year's shortlist, proof of the huge contribution member‑owned businesses make to communities right across the country. With our new Co‑op of the Year Award, we're able to shine a spotlight on that impact like never before. And as we prepare to bring the Awards to Manchester's co‑operative quarter, the birthplace of the co‑operative movement, it feels only right that we're celebrating the businesses carrying that legacy forward today." Taking the Awards to Manchester The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 12 November at New Century Hall, in the centre of Manchester’s co-operative quarter. This will be the first time the Awards have taken place outside of London, and will mark the social enterprise movement's future in a city steeped in its history. In 1844, just up the road in Rochdale, workers in the cotton mills pooled their resources to set up the first-ever consumer co-operative to combat the low pay and exploitative conditions of Victorian Britain. Now, in the spirit of these Rochdale Pioneers, we’ll be celebrating how far this movement of business for good has come. The theme of the Awards is ‘All Together Now ’, capturing the spirit of unity and co-operation that sits at the heart of the social enterprise community. Tickets are currently on sale, with members of Social Enterprise UK and Co-operatives UK being able to save nearly 50% in comparison to the full price tickets. Click here to get your tickets