How Government can spend smarter to create a world leading Britain

By partnering with social investors and “spending smarter”, Government can attract significant additional investment to help solve the most difficult problems the public cares about, grow the economy, and ensure lasting improvements to people’s lives.

Government can use its money in a different way to partner with impact focused private investment to solve the most difficult problems the public cares about, grow the economy, and ensure lasting improvements to people lives. We estimate this partnership has the potential to unlock more than £50 billion of private investment over the next five to 10 years for addressing public priorities without additional cost to government.

Better Society Capital, the UK’s leading social impact investor together with multiple investment and charity partners is calling on the Government to act now on the opportunity to help accelerate this market at a time when it is most needed. Simply put, it’s Better Investment for a Better Britain.

Our recommended principles for unlocking private investment to achieve social goals:

1. Spend smarter by allocating existing government spend to projects that crowd in more social and private investment where appropriate, meaning that taxpayers money goes further.
   
2. Put people at the heart of public services by shifting to commissioning for outcomes so that government pays for genuine positive and measurable change to people’s lives when tackling issues in health, housing and education
   
3. Integrate social impact investment across government given the vital role it can play across government from health to housing, setting up a cross-government strategy with responsibility sitting centrally – in either Cabinet Office or Treasury.