Consultation on further reforms to public procurement

The Cabinet Office has launched a ten week public consultation (from 26 June 2025) on plans for further reforms to public procurement aimed at strengthening British industry, creating jobs, and enhancing skills - and which build on the publication of the Industrial Strategy. This consultation is intended to inform the development of future primary legislation to amend the Procurement Act 2023 when parliamentary time allows. There is no change to the current legislation which went live earlier this year.

The proposals in this consultation aim to ensure that public procurement plays its full role in delivering the Government’s Industrial Strategy and helps foster a resilient economy that supports British businesses and creates good jobs in communities across the country. The proposed reforms are designed to enhance the UK’s economic resilience and strengthen supply chains, and open up more opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), which are vital for driving the UK economy.

You can read Minister Gould’s Written Ministerial Statement to the House here.

The consultation will be open for ten weeks, closing on 5 September. You can access the consultation document and online survey to capture your views here.

The Cabinet Office is keen to get a range of views from stakeholders across all sectors. Your views will inform the development of any primary legislation to amend the Procurement Act and they would be grateful if you could share the link to the consultation with your respective networks and communities so they have as full and rounded a view as possible.

If you are unable to access the survey, please contact the team at procurement.reform@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

The Procurement Act 2023 is live

The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025 and replaces the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The delayed start date from the original date of 28 October 2024, allowed the new UK government to produce a new National Procurement Policy Statement - GOV.UK. that clearly sets out its priorities for public procurement in support of its missions. 

A Complete Guide to New Legislative Requirements under the Procurement Act 2023
The Procurement Act 2023 introduces a series of new transparency and reporting obligations for contracting authorities, with phased implementation throughout 2026. This guide provides a practical overview of the latest legislative requirements, key commencement dates, and the actions organisations need to take to ensure compliance.
The document covers:
  • Payments Compliance Notices (Section 69) – new requirements for reporting supplier payment performance and 30-day payment compliance.
  • Contract Payment Information (Section 70) – quarterly publication of payments over £30,000 made under public contracts.
  • Contract Performance Notices (Section 71) – publication of KPI performance, supplier breaches, and contract performance issues.
  • Below Threshold Supplier Identifiers – new obligations for suppliers to register and obtain unique identifiers for below-threshold contracts.
The guide also includes implementation timelines, reporting requirements, digital platform updates, and a summary of key dates to support contracting authorities in preparing for compliance. Read the full guide here.
 
Supporting implementation materials relating to Section 70 of the Procurement Act 2023 – Linking Payments to Contracts – are available via the Government Commercial College for registered users. Resources include:
These documents can be accessed through the Government Commercial College portal using your login credentials here.

UKUPC PA2023 Updates

Leading up to the implementation of PA2023, UKUPC provided regular updates pertinent to its members. 

UKUPC Update January 2025

UKUPC Update December 2024

UKUPC Update October 2024

UKUPC Update August 2024

UKUPC Update July 2024

UKUPC Update May 2024

UKUPC Update April 2024