Reappraising the UK social value legislation

Abstract

This paper appraises the scope and legal obligations of the UK Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012. The law, by imposing on public authorities an obligation to consider wider social, economic and environmental benefits before they enter into major public service contracts, in principle improves service outcomes for communities, and facilitates better access for third sector organizations to public contracting opportunities. Evidence of the legislation’s impact has been mixed.

Keywords:

• Experimentalist governance
• public contracting
• social value
• third sector
• UK Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nina Boeger

Nina Boeger is Senior Lecturer in Law and Director of the Centre for Law and Enterprise at the University of Bristol Law School, UK.