Measuring social value: guidance for housing associations

As not-for-profit landlords driven by social purpose, housing associations want to demonstrate social value to ensure the best outcomes for their residents. 

In addition, measuring social value is important because it can:

• Be used to forecast the expected impacts of developing new services or programmes, which in turn can help secure support for funding and makes later evaluation far more efficient and robust.
• Support housing associations’ requirement to demonstrate good value for money to the Regulator of Social Housing.
• Help meet the government’s expectations in terms of demonstrating social value, for those delivering commissioned services.

To support those looking to develop a social value framework, this guidance provides information on:

• What social value is, and why it’s important.
• How to create social value.
• How to measure social value.
• What makes good social value research.

It also contains a glossary of important terms, a list of useful resources, and suggested organisations to contact for more information.

Download guidance