The Hidden Impact of UK Social Value Reform: What You Need to Know

Send us Fan MailYour voice matters. Right now, significant changes to UK social value requirements are under consultation, and the proposals could fundamentally reshape how social value is delivered through public contracts.The proposed changes create a concerning two-tier system. For contracts over £5 million, social value would become mandatory with a 10% weighting focused primarily on jobs and skills. Meanwhile, smaller contracts would revert to commissioners merely "considering" social value - potentially eliminating requirements entirely for thousands of contracts. This division disadvantages the VCSE sector while benefiting large corporations who can deliver at scale.Mandatory reporting of social value KPIs sounds promising, but again only applies to high-value contracts. The push toward standardised metrics creates a troubling tick-box approach that narrows the scope of social value primarily to employability outcomes. These standardised numerical values further advantage large businesses who can promise greater volume, regardless of whether those interventions genuinely address community needs.The location flexibility proposals aim to distribute social value more widely but may simply reshuffle where benefits are concentrated rather than ensuring equitable distribution. One potential bright spot exists in proposed changes to vulnerable citizens classifications, which could allow more quality-focused commissioning for social care services.The consultation risks further gamifying an already flawed system, where impressive numbers trump meaningful impact. If you care about genuine community benefit and creating a level playing field for smaller organisations, now is the time to speak up. Review the consultation, submit your feedback, and help shape a social value framework that works for everyone - not just those with the deepest pockets.You can find the consultation here:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/public-procurement-growing-british-industry-jobs-and-skills-consultation-on-further-reforms-to-public-procurementWelcome to Make Impact Podcast, where we dive deep into the stories, strategies, and solutions that drive real change. I'm Heidi Fisher and I work with organisations on a mission to tackle poverty, reduce health inequalities, and create lasting social impact. In each episode, I bring you inspiring conversations with change makers, social entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who are making a difference.  Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Make an Impact podcast. I hope you found today's conversation as inspiring and thought provoking as I did. If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others who want to create positive change. You can connect with me on LinkedIn and learn more about my work at Makeanimpactcic.co.uk.Until next time, let's keep making an impact in the world.Support the showHi, I'm Heidi Fisher, the host of the Make an Impact Podcast.  I'm an impact measurement expert, passionate about helping you make a bigger impact in the world by maximising the impact your services have. I can help you to measure, manage and communicate the impact you have better to funders, investors, commissioners and other stakeholders, and to systemise your data collection and analysis so that it frees up time and doesn't become an additional burden.  I love helping you to measure social and economic impacts, including Social Return on Investment or value for money assessments, as part of understanding the change you make to peoples' lives. You can get in touch via LinkedIn or the website makeanimpactcic.co.uk if you'd like to find out more about working with me.