What is a social enterprise?

Using a new mechanism identified by the Department of Health called “The Right to Request” (to become a Social Enterprise), “Homeless Healthcare” ceased to be part of the provider arm of the Leicester City Primary Care Trust (LCPCT) on 1st September 2010 to be part of our exciting new social enterprise “Inclusion Healthcare Social Enterprise CIC” .

A community interest company (CIC) is a new type of company introduced by the United Kingdom government in 2005 under the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good. CICs are intended to be easy to set up, with all the flexibility and certainty of the company form, but with some special features to ensure they are working for the benefit of the community.

A Community Interest Company (CIC) is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximize profit for shareholders and owners. CICs tackle a wide range of social and environmental issues and operate in all parts of the economy. By using business solutions to achieve public good, it is believed that social enterprises have a distinct and valuable role to play in helping create a strong, sustainable and socially inclusive economy