Commissioners, Public Services and Social Impact Bonds - the Missing Link?

Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) attract global interest as tool for financing welfare services using investment from outside the public sector. They aim to incentivise innovative services that prevent future needs, reducing the future demand on services, and thus make savings. The literature on the practice of SIBs is still scarce and this paper provides new insights into the role of commissioners, based on in-depth interviews. It concludes that although the prevention of future needs through innovative approaches are welcome, commissioners are cautious about this leading to cashable savings.