Social Value Act

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 became law on the 8th March 2012.

The Act was initiated by Chris White MP as a Private Members Bill, the progress of the Bill becoming law is documented here.

What is the Act?
The Act, for the first time, places a duty on public bodies to consider social value ahead of a procurement. 

The Act applies to the provision of services, or the provision of services together with the purchase or hire of goods or the carrying out of works.

The wording of the Act states that.. 

The authority must consider—
(a)how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and
(b)how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement.

What does social value mean under the Act?
The wording of the act states..

the authority must consider.. only matters that are relevant to what is proposed to be procured and, in doing so, must consider the extent to which it is proportionate in all the circumstances to take those matters into account.

External link
You can read the brief legislation on the parliament website.

Also in this section
Our series of Social Value briefings, more information on what is Social Value and a history of the Social Value Act.