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ESCC Crisis Payment Scheme

East Sussex County Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

17 Aug 2026 at 12:37

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

26 May 2026 at 15:16

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

East Sussex County Council procured a crisis payment service for residents facing financial shocks and needing support to build financial resilience. The service forms part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Crisis and Resilience Fund, which replaced the Household Support Fund. It is a cash-first, needs-based service, distinct from housing payments, requiring proportionate evidence, accessible routes and robust management information. The scope includes administering payments, working with statutory services and voluntary and community organisations, establishing referral pathways, and improving access through outreach and reduced barriers. Delivery is place-based across East Sussex. The procurement is for public-facing community, crisis management, administration, and health and social work services.

This procurement is complete and was awarded to Citizens Advice 1066 on 5 August 2026. The contract award is £1,800,000 excluding VAT and £2,160,000 including VAT. The awarded contract period runs from 24 August 2026 to 31 March 2029, with an option to extend by up to three years if funding is available, to a maximum end date of 31 March 2032. It was a single-lot, above-threshold open procedure under the light-touch services regime. The tender closed on 25 June 2026, with award decisions due by 27 July 2026. Six bids were received, including four from SMEs and two from VCSEs. Quality accounted for 100% of evaluation.

This award indicates sustained local demand for organisations able to administer financial support safely and accessibly for people in crisis. A credible future supplier would need strong experience in community-facing advice, welfare support or payment administration, together with established partnerships and referral routes across statutory services and the voluntary and community sector. Delivery capability should include outreach, reducing barriers to access, needs-based assessment, proportionate evidence gathering and reliable management information. Providers handling personal data would need ISO/IEC 27001 or an equivalent standard, Cyber Essentials Plus, or demonstrably equivalent low-risk security controls; relevant Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard certification may also be required. Staff and contractors accessing personal data must meet Baseline Personnel Security Standard requirements.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

ESCC Crisis Payment Scheme

Notice Description

From 1 April 2026 the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) introduced the Crisis and Resilience Fund: Guidance for local authorities in England (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) - GOV.UK, a multiyear, ring fenced grant enabling local authorities to support residents facing financial shocks and to build financial resilience. The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is the successor of the Household Support Fund and provides a national Crisis Payment offer (distinct from Housing Payments). National guidance requires a cash first, needs based approach, proportionate evidence, accessible routes, and robust management information.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: If funding is made available the contract can be extended for up to three years.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a3ef
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078092-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

75100000 - Administration services

75200000 - Provision of services to the community

79430000 - Crisis management services

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,800,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,800,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£1,800,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
25 Jun 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
5 Aug 20262 months ago
Contract Period
24 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
East Sussex County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEWES
Postcode
BN7 1UE
Postcode Area
Brighton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ22 East Sussex CC
Delivery Location
TLJ22 East Sussex CC
Local Authority
Lewes
Electoral Ward
Lewes Priory
Westminster Constituency
Lewes

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Citizens Advice 1066

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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