Influencing policy
Our policy work is crucial to ensuring co-ops, of all shapes and sizes, enjoy the best possible business environment. We do this by working for and alongside our members to influence government policy - at both a local and national level. The includes securing funding for co-op development, campaigning against punitive and unfair legislation, promoting the benefits of co-ops to policy-makers and much more.
Featured content
Search policy activity
Search our policy activity by issue, sector or region
Do more, faster, together: Joint declaration by the UK’s co-operatives in the run up to COP26
Joint declaration on climate action by the UK’s co-operatives in the run up to COP26.
We are the rebuilders
Co-ops are pivotal to helping our communities and country build back better from Covid-19. In this short paper we make four co-op ‘offers’ to everyone working for a more sustainable and just future.
Work in partnership
Through partnership working with local government, business networks and community organisations we help transform local economies and communities. It's all about local wealth building, co-op development and community engagement.
Recent news
Image
Member consultation: Help shape our policy priorities
Ahead of Co-op Congress and Co-op Fortnight, Co-operatives UK is urging members to feed into policy priorities as we look ahead to the next general election.
9 days ago
Image
Advocacy for worker co-ops: Co-operatives UK submission to Treasury
Co-operatives UK policy team has submitted a representation ahead of the Spring Budget.
3 months ago
Image
Call for £40m investment into community shares
Content by Community Shares
The Community Shares Unit, led by Co-operatives UK in partnership with Locality and Plunkett Foundation, has responded to the Dormant Assets consultation with a headline call for £40m to be invested…
7 months ago
Image
Co-operatives call on new Prime Minister to act now or face ‘doom-loop’
Government must take immediate and effective action to prevent permanent damage to UK businesses, including co-operatives.
9 months ago
Image
New Bill for co-operatives in Parliament
Co-operatives UK is supporting a new Bill boosting co-operative investment, innovation and development.
9 months ago
Blog posts
Image
Co-op Policy Blog #26: Co-ops to the rescue?
A growing number of businesses in the UK are going bust. Two years of lost income, uncertainty, stress, ballooning debt and now rising costs, may be taking their toll.
1 year ago
Image
Co-op Policy Blog #25: Levelling up the land
When Michael Gove stood at the dispatch box and said government’s flagship Levelling Up White Paper was a strategy “to shift wealth and power decisively towards working people” I had to stop and…
1 year ago
Image
Co-op Policy Blog #24: Budget implications for co-ops across the UK
The Chancellor’s Budget and Spending Review is not earth-shattering... or really Earth saving either.
1 year ago
Image
Co-op Policy Blog #23: Breakthrough in Scotland
Scottish government is now committed to supporting co-ops in its policy programme. This provides a massive opportunity to unlock the huge potential for co-ops in Scotland and follows a successful…
1 year ago
Image
Co-op Policy Blog #22: Hitting the ground running
Across the UK politicians from a range of parties have just been elected with commitments to support co-ops and a more democratic economy. We are already reaching out to offer our help, so politicians…
2 years ago
Resources
Image
Member consultation: Help decide our policy priorities
Ahead of Co-op Congress and Co-op Fortnight, Co-operatives UK is inviting members to consult on policy priorities as we look ahead to the next general election.
10 days ago
Scottish Policy Summit Briefing
This briefing is intended to inform discussion and debate at the forthcoming Scottish Policy Summit (1 pm – 4.30 pm, 19 April at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh). This summit brings together representatives…
1 month ago
Image
Dormant Assets consultation
Content by Community Shares
A response from the Community Shares Unit, led by Co-operatives UK in partnership with Locality and Plunkett Foundation, on the Consultation on the English portion of dormant assets funding.
4 months ago
Image
Saving more jobs by extending tax reliefs to include worker buyouts
We are lobbying government to extend employee buyout tax reliefs to include worker co-op buyouts.
4 months ago
Image
Co-operatives for a stronger, fairer, greener, everyday economy
A short paper, produced for the Labour Party Conference (2022) which presents new evidence and insights on the huge potential for co-operatives to contribute to a stronger, fairer and greener everyday…
8 months ago
You may also be interested in
Image
Member consultation: Help shape our policy priorities
Ahead of Co-op Congress and Co-op Fortnight, Co-operatives UK is urging members to feed into policy priorities as we look ahead to the next general election.
9 days ago
Image
Advocacy for worker co-ops: Co-operatives UK submission to Treasury
Co-operatives UK policy team has submitted a representation ahead of the Spring Budget.
3 months ago
Image
Scottish Policy Summit
Organised by Co-operatives UK
Wednesday 19 April 2023
Image
Members meeting: Co-op Law Reform
Organised by Co-operatives UK
Join Co-operatives UK's Policy Lead James Wright for this online members meeting for those who want to find out more about the next steps for taking forward crucial legislation giving co-operative…
Thursday 17 November 2022
Image
Cross Party Group on Co-operatives in Scottish Parliament
Organised by Co-operatives UK
The next meeting of the Cross Party Group on Co-operatives is taking place at 1-2pm on Wednesday 2 November in the Scottish Parliament.
Wednesday 02 November 2022