New National Procurement Statement Better for Us

Media release
13/02/2025
For immediate release: New National Procurement Policy Statement Better for Us says Aspire

Aspire Community Works and its Better For Us campaign welcome the Government’s newly published National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) as a big step forwards to ensuring that public contracts deliver genuine public value by ensuring decent working conditions and building a more diverse market.

From February 24th, all contracting authorities will be required to put in place procedures to ensure value for money, not just in financial terms, but also in wider socio-economic and environmental benefits. This includes stamping out low-value, poor-quality bids that undercut responsible businesses and drive down standards. The NPPS makes it clear that contracting authorities must work with suppliers who provide high-quality jobs, safe conditions, fair pay, and real career opportunities. The Statement lays emphasis on the importance of co-designing local services, ensuring that procurement is shaped by the needs of communities and delivers greater social and economic value.

Katharine Sutton, Director of Aspire Community Works and the Better For Us campaign, said:

" Aspire has long called for the Real Living Wage and Good Work accreditation to be the baseline for public contracts. We welcome the Government’s recognition that fair pay and good working conditions must be assured as part of the procurement process. Public money should fund good jobs, not bad ones, full stop.

The Statement recognises that procurement can break down barriers to employment, particularly for people facing institutional disadvantage in the labour market by increasing procurement spend with social enterprises and voluntary organisations.

Now, it’s up to all of us—government, public authorities, businesses, and civil society—to turn policy into practice. If commissioning and procurement are practiced with fairness and innovation, we can build an everyday economy that works for everyone, not just the few.”

-Ends

Further information:
Katharine Sutton: 07966 890401; Aspire Community Works: 020 703 4433

Katharine.sutton@aspirecommunityworks.com
www.betterforus.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. BetterForUs is a campaign run on behalf of award-winning organisation Aspire Community Works that tackles labour market disadvantage through providing sustainable employment and training opportunities offering the Real Living Wage as a minimum, good working conditions and promoting frontline employees’ voice in the design and delivery of services. The majority of its frontline work is obtained through the public procurement process.
   
   
2. The Procurement Act 2023 is due to come into force on 24 February 2025.
   
   
3. The National Procurement Policy Statement published today sets out Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement and should be considered by strategic leaders and key decision-makers in contracting authorities in England.
   
   
4. BetterforUs is supported by Trust for London, Social Enterprise UK and Community.