Tender basics · 5 min read
Social value in public tenders: how to score without overpromising
In central government tenders above the procurement thresholds, social value must carry at least 10% of the total score, and many councils and National Health Service bodies weight it too. It is also where a bold promise can become a contract obligation. This guide explains the rules and how to write commitments that score and that you can keep.
The legal starting point
The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires public bodies, before they procure a services contract, to consider how it might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and how the procurement itself could help secure that improvement. The Act extends to England and Wales, with an exemption for Welsh devolved authorities, and does not apply below the procurement thresholds.
Notice what the Act does not do. It is a duty to consider. It does not set a weighting. The weightings you see in tenders come from government policy and from each buyer's own approach.
On top of the Act sits the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS). It came into force on 24 February 2025, alongside the Procurement Act 2023, and contracting authorities must have regard to it. Its priorities include driving economic growth by giving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) a fair chance at public contracts, and delivering social and economic value that supports the government's missions. Government guidance on the NPPS is clear that buyers do not need to add social value measures that are not relevant and proportionate to the contract.
Scotland and Wales have their own rules. In Scotland, the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 includes a sustainable procurement duty and community benefit requirements. In Wales, the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 places a duty on certain public bodies to consider socially responsible procurement.
Where the 10% comes from, and what is changing
Central government sets minimum weightings through Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs). These apply to government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Other buyers may choose to follow them.
| Policy note | What it says | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| PPN 06/20 | Introduced the Social Value Model for central government contracts under the old regulations, in 2020 | Now out of date. Buyers could still use it during the transition to PPN 002 |
| PPN 002 | A minimum 10% weighting of the total score for social value, using an updated Social Value Model with eight outcomes, from fair work to wellbeing | Above-threshold procurements under the Procurement Act 2023 started on or after 1 October 2025 |
| PPN 026 | A new Social Value Model with two outcomes, good jobs and skills. Minimum 10% weighting for contracts from £1 million to under £5 million, and 20% for £5 million and above. At least one social value key performance indicator (KPI) on contracts of £5 million or more | Procurements started on or after 1 January 2027 |
If you bid for central government contracts of £1 million or more from 2027, expect social value questions to focus on jobs, pay, working conditions, training and progression. Build your evidence now.
The National Health Service (NHS) also applies a floor. NHS England's Social Value Playbook says all NHS procurements must include a minimum 10% net zero and social value weighting, and that commissioners are expected to give at least 10% to social value when commissioning healthcare services under the Provider Selection Regime.
How councils use Themes, Outcomes and Measures
Many councils use the Themes, Outcomes and Measures (TOMs) framework developed by Social Value Portal, often called the National TOMs. The company now calls it the Social Value TOM System. You commit against set measures, and the system attaches a financial proxy value to each one, so the buyer can express your offer as a social value figure in pounds.
That creates a temptation. The bigger the number, the better it looks. But expect to report on every measure you commit to, for the life of the contract. Before you start, check how the buyer will score it: on the quality of your method statement, on the proxy value, or on both.
How to write a commitment that scores
The Social Value Model published with PPN 002 sets a minimum requirement to score any points at all: the response must include a specific, measurable and time-bound commitment. That is a good test for any buyer. Every commitment should answer five questions:
- What? The activity, in plain words.
- How many? A number with a unit.
- For whom? A defined group, such as care leavers or long-term unemployed residents of the borough.
- By when? A date or a contract year.
- How will you prove it? The record the buyer will see, and how often.
Here is the difference in practice.
Weak: "We are committed to supporting the local community and will offer apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities wherever possible."
Stronger: "In contract year one we will recruit two apprentices from residents of the borough who are not in employment, education or training, working with the council's employment service. Progress will be reported quarterly, with apprenticeship start dates and completion records."
The numbers in that example are for illustration only. Yours must come from what your business can actually deliver.
The risk of overpromising
Social value commitments do not stay in the bid. For central government contracts, PPN 002 says every commitment made during the procurement must be reflected in the contract, as a contract term or a performance indicator. Under the Procurement Act 2023, most contracts worth more than £5 million must have at least three KPIs, and they are published. A supplier that performs a contract poorly and fails to improve after being given the chance can face a discretionary exclusion ground on future bids.
So a promise you cannot keep is not a free point. It is a contract obligation, a reporting burden and, at worst, a performance record that follows you.
Before you commit to anything, check:
- Cost. Is it in your price? Apprentices, volunteering hours and local spending all cost money.
- Capacity. Who will deliver it and report on it, and do they have the time?
- Relevance. Is it linked to this contract, or a company-wide activity you would do anyway? Check whether the buyer wants delivery on this contract.
- Evidence. What will you show the buyer in month six? If the answer is nothing, rewrite it.
- Scale. Is the commitment proportionate to the contract value? A large pledge on a small contract invites questions.
A simple approach for smaller providers
You do not need a long list. A few well-evidenced commitments that match the buyer's priorities are easier to score, and to keep, than many vague ones. Read the buyer's social value policy, pick the outcomes that fit your service, and build each commitment from something you already do and can measure.
If you would like help turning what you already do into social value commitments that score and that you can keep, get in touch. You can also read our guide to what changed under the Procurement Act 2023.
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