Lessons learned from the planning and early implementation of the Social Impact Bond at HMP Peterborough

Lessons learned from the planning and early implementation of the Social Impact Bond at HMP Peterborough

The aim of this report is to identify early lessons from the development and implementation of the Social Impact Bond (SIB) at HMP Peterborough. Such lessons may inform future SIBs or wider payment-by-results (PBR) pilots under consideration by the Ministry of Justice and other government departments.

This is the first output of an independent evaluation of the Peterborough SIB commissioned by the Ministry of Justice. It is based on the findings from interviews with 22 individuals from organisations involved in the development and implementation of the SIB at Peterborough.

The interviewees were well-informed about the SIB, having been closely involved in its development. However, given the early stage of development of the Peterborough SIB, we are unable to draw conclusions about or comment on outcomes. Furthermore, because the interviewees’ expertise relates specifically to their experience of Peterborough, we raise issues and potential lessons for other SIBs and initiatives, but are cautious in attempting to generalise lessons from the interviews for wider roll-out of SIBs or other PBR arrangements.