Costing and Pricing Public Sector Services is one of a series of books entitled "Essential Skills for the Public Sector". It sets out the process of identifying service costs, establishing unit costs, and cost control, all essential activities for ensuring value for money and accountability. It is an important text for all those working in the a public and not for profit environment as it takes private sector principles and translates them into practical tools that can be applied to public services. With increasing competition seen as a method to improve services and drive down costs, understanding the true cost of public services is important. This book also tackles many of the day to day problems that may be encountered when trying to develop unit costs for a public service entering a market led environment. There are worked examples and practical exercises which allow the theory to be put into practice, encouraging self-development and continuous improvement. The style is simple, easy to read, and accessible to staff at all levels within an organisation. It is an essential addition to a manager's toolkit of skills and knowledge.