Main navigation

Social enterprise

Social enterprises are businesses which operate for a social purpose. At their best they contribute to a stronger economy and fairer society by providing employment or services where the private or public sector can’t, challenge and help government to improve the way we design and deliver public service and raise the bar for socially responsible business. Our latest estmitates suggest there are 62,000 social enterprises like these in the UK, contributing £24 billion to UK output.

Government’s vision is of a dynamic and sustainable social enterprise sector. The Office of the Third Sector's social enterprise policy is focused on working across government to create an environment in the UK for social enterprises to thrive by:

• fostering a culture of social enterprise, especially by inspiring the next generation to start thinking about the social impact of business
• improving business advice, information and support
• tackling the barriers to access to finance
• enabling social enterprises to work with government.

In this section:

• Background to social enterprise
• Social Enterprise Policy Documents

Culture

• Social enterprise ambassadors
• Social Enterprise Day
• Make Your Mark: Change Lives - A campaign to inspire young people
• Social Enterprise Awards

Business advice

• Business Support for social enterprise

Access to Finance

• Social investment and access to finance programmes 
• Measuring social value

Work with Government

• Social Enterprise Action Research
• Enterprising Services
• Public Services

Other resources

• Guidance and useful resources
• Social enterprise research