Introduction
Social value scoring is the one procurement rule every UK public sector bidder plans around. This article summarises what changed during 2026, and what stayed the same.
PPN 026: social value in procurement
The change of the year is the publication of PPN 026. Procurement Policy Note 026, the next edition of the Social Value Model, was published on GOV.UK on 5 August 2026. It applies to central government procurements commenced on or after 1 January 2027, at 1 million pounds inc VAT or above. Procurements commenced before that date fall under the previous edition.
PPN 026 sets a minimum social value weighting of 10% from 1 million pounds inc VAT to 5 million, and 20% at 5 million pounds inc VAT or above. The upper band reads “or above”, which is inclusive, so a procurement at exactly 5 million pounds inc VAT sits in the 20% band, and 10% is the floor anywhere in scope.
What has not changed is that the minimum is a floor rather than a cap. A contracting authority is free to set a higher weighting, and plenty do. The number that matters to you is the one published in the award criteria of the tender in front of you, so read it on every bid rather than assuming the minimum applies.
The other thing that has not changed is the practical consequence for suppliers, and 2026 sharpened it. Social value is a scored section, marked against what you commit to and what you can evidence. A response built from named, quantified commitments you can hold yourself to will out-score one built from statements of intent, whatever weighting the buyer has set and whichever edition governs the procurement.
One date decides which edition you are answering, and it is not the date you write. It is the date the procurement was commenced. A procurement does not change edition part way through, so a supplier bidding across the turn of the year can be answering two editions in the same month. Check the tender documents rather than the calendar.
Summary
PPN 026 was published on 5 August 2026 and applies to central government procurements commenced on or after 1 January 2027, at 1 million pounds inc VAT or above, with a minimum social value weighting of 10% from 1 million pounds inc VAT to 5 million and 20% at 5 million pounds inc VAT or above. Procurements commenced before 1 January 2027 fall under the previous edition of the Social Value Model. The minimum is a floor rather than a cap, so check the weighting published in each tender rather than assuming it.
Every figure above is published beside its primary source, with the date and a link to GOV.UK, on our sources page.
Track your social value scoring
CrowMark for Suppliers drafts your PPN 026 social value answer from your own submitted bids, then tracks the evidence for each commitment after award.