Tender

Employment effects of the National Living Wage

LOW PAY COMMISSION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

19 Dec 2025 at 19:20

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Low Pay Commission, located in London, is soliciting tenders for research on the "Employment effects of the National Living Wage." This procurement falls under the services category, specifically research and development services, and is open for competition using an open procurement method. The tender, identified as LPC 2025/06, has an estimated maximum contract value of £80,000 (excluding VAT), with a final report due in September 2027 and interim findings in September 2026. The tender process is currently in the open stage, with submission deadlines closing on 2 February 2026. Those interested in participating should note the key dates such as the enquiry period ending on 12 January 2026 and the contracting period running from 2 March 2026 to 31 December 2027.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses engaged in research and consultancy within the labour economics sector. Organisations able to provide innovative quantitative analysis or employ alternative data sources to assess the impacts of minimum wage increases since 2019 could find this project particularly well-aligned with their expertise. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and those in the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sectors are encouraged to apply. The evaluation will focus on the quality of the proposal, value for money, and capacity to deliver, making it an excellent opportunity for firms aiming to leverage their research capabilities to inform crucial policy decisions.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Employment effects of the National Living Wage

Notice Description

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) invites tenders for research using novel methods or data to analyse the impact of recent increases in the minimum wage. We are specifically interested in the impacts on employment (and hours), but research may cover a range of other outcomes. The Low Pay Commission is a non-departmental public body that advises the government about the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW) and the minimum wage rates for young workers and apprentices. We are responsible for evaluating the effects of the NMW and NLW and making recommendations on future rates. To carry out these functions, our work involves: * carrying out extensive research and consultation with employers, workers and their representatives and taking written and oral evidence from a wide range of organisations; * analysing relevant data to understand the state of the economy and labour market and the impact of the minimum wage; * commissioning research projects into these questions. The LPC carries out its own descriptive and econometric analysis of the labour market and the impact of minimum wage increases, including using econometric methods . However, some of the key data sources we rely on, including the Labour Force Survey, have suffered from data quality issues since the pandemic. We are therefore looking for research that would use alternative data sources and/or develop novel methods to provide robust quantitative estimates of the impact of increases in the minimum wage since 2019. The estimated maximum cost of the contract is PS80,000 (exclusive of VAT; PS96,000 including VAT). We recognise that proposed projects may vary significantly in their scale and resource requirements and anticipate bids in the range PS50,000 to PS80,000. This procurement is for research delivering its final findings in September 2027 with interim findings in September 2026. If your proposed project could be completed to a shorter timeframe, we strongly encourage you to submit a bid under LPC 2025/05 (Open call for research on the minimum wage).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05fb00
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085180-2025
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£80,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£80,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Dec 20251 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
2 Feb 20262 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
2 Mar 2026 - 31 Dec 2027 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LOW PAY COMMISSION
Contact Name
Tim Butcher
Contact Email
lpc@lowpay.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E14 4PU
Post Town
East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI42 Tower Hamlets
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Tower Hamlets
Electoral Ward
Canary Wharf
Westminster Constituency
Poplar and Limehouse

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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