What the Procurement Act 2023 means for social landlords in practice
Since 24 February 2025, the Procurement Act 2023 has rewritten the rulebook for how housing associations, local authorities, and ALMOs buy goods, works and services. It replaces decades-old regulations in one of the biggest shakeups to UK public procurement law in a generation. More than a year in, the headlines have faded. But the sector is still working out what “in practice” really means: new terminology, new platforms, new notices, and a new way of thinking about the entire contract lifecycle, not just the tender.
This isn’t just a legal technicality for your procurement team to worry about. Get it right, and it’s a genuine opportunity to speed up sourcing, open the door to more SMEs and VCSEs, and demonstrate measurable community impact more convincingly than ever. Get it wrong, and you risk challenge, delay, and reputational damage at a time when tenant safety and value for money are under more scrutiny than ever. A thorough Readiness Assessment early in the process makes all the difference, giving your team clarity before deadlines start to bite.
What actually changed?
The Act replaced the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, Concession Contracts Regulations 2016, and Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011. In their place sits a single, unified regime across England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland continues to operate under its own rules). Visit PfH Scotland for support navigating Scotland’s procurement landscape.
| Old process (PCR 2015) | New process (Procurement Act 2023) |
| Prescriptive, multiple procedures | Simplified: direct award, competitive tendering, or award under an existing framework |
| OJEU / Find a Tender notices | Notices published via the Central Digital Platform, delivered through an enhanced Find a Tender service |
| Limited exclusion powers | Clearer, broader exclusion grounds for poor performance or misconduct |
| Fixed competitive procedures | New Competitive Flexible Procedure (CFP), designed around your project |
Greater flexibility, fewer procedures
One of the more welcome changes is the reduction in prescribed procedures. Instead of navigating a menu of rigid options, contracting authorities can now choose between direct award, a competitive tendering procedure (open or the new Competitive Flexible Procedure), or an award under an established framework. Many social landlords are finding that our PfH frameworks already map neatly onto these new routes, easing the transition considerably. The approach chosen just needs to be proportionate to the contract’s nature, complexity and value.
Transparency from cradle to grave
The Act covers the full lifecycle of a contract, not just the tender stage. That means new notices at planning, award, and even contract modification and termination stages, all published via the Central Digital Platform, which is delivered through an enhanced version of the Find a Tender service. For teams used to a single OJEU notice and a contract award, this is a significant shift in administrative rhythm. It rewards earlier planning and closer collaboration between procurement and operational teams, particularly on longer-running repairs and maintenance contracts where scope can shift over time.
Sharper exclusion grounds
New, clearer exclusion rules mean authorities can more easily bar suppliers with a track record of serious misconduct or poor performance from bidding on future contracts. This is a particularly welcome development in housing, where contractor failure can directly affect tenant safety and the wider reputation of your organisation.
What hasn’t changed (yet)
Existing frameworks and DPS arrangements procured under PCR 2015 remain valid and usable under transitional provisions until they expire – you don’t need to unpick agreements that are already working well. Any new frameworks, however, are being designed from the ground up to comply with the Act. Thresholds were also reviewed and amended for the first time in November 2025, so it’s worth checking whether your usual contract values still sit where you expect. For organisations that don’t have the time or in-house expertise to manage all of this alone, our procurement consultancy team can help fill the gap, from strategy through to full delivery, without adding extra pressure to already stretched staff.
Practical steps for social landlords
- Audit your current contracts and frameworks to identify which sit under transitional PCR 2015 arrangements and which will need Act-compliant replacements before their expiry dates arrive.
- Register on Find a Tender early, which now incorporates the Central Digital Platform, and don’t leave this until your next tender is ready to go live, since setup can take longer than expected.
- Review your team’s understanding of the CFP and new notice requirements; this is as much a cultural shift as a legal one, and training pays off quickly.
- Strengthen contract management practices and put someone accountable for lifecycle reporting, since the Act’s transparency requirements put a spotlight on performance monitoring, not just contract award.
- Build stronger supplier relationships early, particularly with SMEs and VCSEs, so your supply chain reflects the diversity the Act was designed to encourage across the sector.
- Revisit your social value approach, as the Act was designed in part to improve outcomes for SMEs, start-ups and social enterprises, and better oversight makes it far easier to evidence the difference you’re making to residents and communities alike, year after year.
Turning compliance into confidence
The Procurement Act 2023 asks more of housing procurement teams – more planning, more documentation, more lifecycle thinking. But it also rewards those who adapt early with faster routes to market, a broader supplier base, and stronger evidence of impact delivered to residents. This is where having the right tools in place really starts to pay off, especially once new notices and reporting duties become part of everyday practice rather than an occasional headache. If your team is still working through what compliance looks like day-to-day, our Quantum platform can help bring clarity to contract and spend management, so nothing slips through the cracks as new requirements bed in.
At Procurement for Housing (PfH), we’ve spent over 20 years helping housing associations, local authorities and ALMOs navigate exactly this kind of regulatory change, and we understand the pressures your teams face better than most. Our frameworks, DPS solutions and consultancy services are designed to keep you compliant with the Procurement Act 2023 while helping you deliver safer, better-value homes for the people who need them most, without adding unnecessary complexity to your day-to-day workload. Whether you need a full compliance review or just an extra pair of expert hands, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.
Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can support your organisation’s transition to the Procurement Act 2023.
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