Resources

The primary sources, a plain-English glossary, and answers to the questions we hear most.

Last reviewed: 23 June 2026

Legislation & guidance

Always check the latest version on the official source — commencement is staged and recent.

Legislation

Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 ↗
Royal Assent 24 May 2023. Part 2 (social partnership) commenced 1 April 2024; Part 3 (socially responsible procurement) commences in stages, with key duties from 25 March 2026 under the Commencement No. 4 Order 2025. Annual SRP reporting and a contracts register are also provided for; the first annual-reporting date is to be confirmed.
Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 ↗
The well-being duty and the seven well-being goals that socially responsible procurement objectives are set against.
Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 ↗
Applies in England and Wales — the duty to consider well-being in procurement.

Welsh Government guidance & essentials

Well-being of Future Generations Act: the essentials ↗
The seven well-being goals and the well-being duty, in plain terms. Cymraeg ↗
SPPP Act: overview & guidance index ↗
The Welsh Government’s landing page for the Act and its guidance.
SRP statutory guidance ↗
Statutory guidance on the socially responsible procurement duties (Part 3).
Part 3: implementation considerations ↗
When the SRP duties start and what implementation involves.
Commencement written statement ↗
The Welsh Government’s written statement on commencement.

Glossary

Community benefits: Commitments secured through public procurement that improve community well-being beyond the contract itself — jobs, training, apprenticeships, fair work, local supply-chain opportunities and well-being outcomes.
Socially responsible procurement (SRP): The Welsh approach — now a duty under the 2023 Act — of using public procurement to deliver social outcomes, with objectives set against the well-being goals, a published procurement strategy and a contract register.
Well-being goals: The seven goals in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 that public bodies must work toward, including “A Prosperous Wales” — now referencing fair work.
Fair work: Fair pay, security and voice at work. The 2023 Act amended the prosperity goal to reference fair work in place of “decent work.”
Social partnership: Working arrangements between government, employers and workers’ representatives. Part 2 of the 2023 Act placed social partnership duties on public bodies subject to the well-being duty (commenced 1 April 2024).
Social public works clauses: Clauses provided for under the 2023 Act — including in subcontracts — used to secure socially responsible outcomes through construction and works contracts.
Community wealth building: The wider economic goal of retaining more of the value of public spending within local communities. Community benefits are one lever toward it.
Social value: The related model under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, which applies in England and Wales — the duty to consider well-being in procurement.

Frequently asked questions

What are community benefits in Wales?

Commitments secured through public procurement that improve community well-being beyond the contract itself — jobs, apprenticeships, fair work, local supply-chain opportunities — now framed within socially responsible procurement.

What’s the law on community benefits and socially responsible procurement in Wales?

The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 places socially responsible procurement duties on public bodies, anchored to the well-being goals in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, with provisions commencing through 2025–2026.

What’s the difference between community benefits, social value, socially responsible procurement and community wealth building?

Community benefits are the specific deliverables; socially responsible procurement and the well-being goals are the Welsh frameworks they help meet; social value is the related model under the 2012 Act; community wealth building is the wider economic goal.

Who has to deliver community benefits in Wales?

Contracting authorities set objectives and use the clauses; suppliers and subcontractors deliver and evidence them.

Do Welsh public bodies have to report on this now?

Increasingly yes — the 2023 Act introduces annual socially responsible procurement reporting and contract registers as provisions commence.

Why is delivering and reporting community benefits hard?

Commitments must be tracked across suppliers and subcontracts, evidenced, quality-checked and reported — the management burden, not the commitment, is the hard part.

Does Welsh apply to this?

Yes — this site is bilingual; Welsh-language provision is the norm in Welsh public life.