Planning

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Direct Payment Support Service

Newcastle City Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

05 Oct 2026 at 14:17

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Planning

05 Oct 2026 at 14:06

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Newcastle City Council plans to appoint a provider for a Direct Payment Support Service for adults, children and carers who use, or are considering using, direct payments to arrange care and support. The service is intended to help people understand their responsibilities and manage the practicalities of employing personal assistants or purchasing services. Its scope includes advice on budgets and spending, payroll, tax, insurance, pensions and recruitment; employment templates and a personal assistant matching service; support with DBS checks, safeguarding and risk escalation; and advice on training and professional development. The provider will also assist social care professionals when requested and must maintain a permanent base in Newcastle. The service will be delivered in Newcastle. This is a health and social care service.

The process is at planning: the council has announced its intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects to use an open procedure. The planned contract runs from 1 May 2027 to 1 May 2030. The estimated value is £661,917 excluding VAT (£794,300 including VAT). The council anticipates publishing a further notice by 15 November 2026, with a tender response deadline of 15 December 2026 and an award decision by 10 January 2027. These are the buyer’s planned dates, not deadlines to bid at this stage. The procurement is presented as a single lot. Newcastle City Council plans virtual market engagement on Microsoft Teams on 19 October 2026, from 10am to noon, to explain its requirements and hear supplier feedback.

The work is suited to organisations experienced in social care and in supporting people who employ personal assistants or use direct payments. Providers will need to combine accessible information and advice with practical employment administration, including payroll, tax, insurance, pensions, recruitment and auto-enrolment. The service also calls for safeguarding expertise: supporting safer recruitment and DBS applications, attending safeguarding meetings when needed, and identifying and escalating risks to vulnerable people and public funds. Workforce-development capability is relevant, including advice on training and professional competency. Suppliers should be able to advise both service users and social care professionals and operate a permanent Newcastle base. The council estimates that 487 adults currently receive direct payments in Newcastle and that 315 people used the service in the 2025/26 financial year. Small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are considered suitable.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Direct Payment Support Service

Notice Description

Newcastle City Council is seeking to appoint an organisation to provide a Direct Payment Support Service to adults, children and carers who use, or are considering using, direct payments to purchase or arrange services. Direct payments can be used to purchase care and support service to meet the care and support needs of the person and carer. Direct payments do involve additional complexity and responsibility for the service user and therefore many need some support and/or advice. The Direct Payment Support Service Newcastle City Council are procuring will: -Information and Advice Explain the benefits and responsibilities of direct payments to Service Users Assist with budgeting and expenditure decisions Provide information about the range of services that provide payroll, insurance and pensions and signpost direct payment users. -Employment Support Provide advice on becoming an employer Support payroll, tax, insurance and pensions Supply employment templates Assist recruitment and selection of Personal Assistants Operate a matching service where appropriate Assist with all aspects of pension auto-enrolment Promote safer employment by encouraging and facilitating the completion of enhanced DBS -Safeguarding and Compliance Promote safe recruitment Support DBS applications Attend safeguarding meetings when required Report and escalate risks to vulnerable adults, children and public funds. -Workforce Development Advise on training for Direct Payment users and Personal Assistants Promote professional development and competency frameworks -Other requirements Provide advice and practical assistance on request to social care professionals when needed Have a permanent base within Newcastle Expected usage: 487 adults are currently receiving a direct payment in Newcastle In the financial year 25/26 there were 315 people who used the service This notice is for information only. At this stage, no further details are available beyond what is published here. When this opportunity progresses, a Tender Notice will be published on the Central Digital Platform along with any relevant notices such as engagement.

Planning Information

Newcastle City Council will be holding an engagement event virtually on Microsoft Teams on the 19th of October from 10:00am to 12:00pm. The event will be led by key representatives from across the Council and it is envisaged all those in attendance will have the opportunity to learn more about, and provide feedback on the service requirements. We would anticipate the event will run as follows: 1. 10.00 to 10.10 - Introductions NCC 2. 10.10 to 10.20- Purpose of the consultation • What we currently commission and why • Utilisation 3. 10.20 to 10:40 Feedback • From people who have used the service • Social workers • CQC 4. 10.40 to 10:50 Our ideas for future scope of the service • What’s different 5. 10:50-11:00 Break 6. 11:00-11:30 Opportunity to feedback on the model 7. 11:30-11:45 Pre-procurement tender readiness • Using Open • Tender documents 8. 11:45-11:55 Indicative timeline 9. 11:55-12:00 A.O.B Please note- • We will be recording the sessions • We do not wish to engage extensively with suppliers prior to this event on clarifications or questions. This is a Market Engagement and we do appreciate a degree of interpretation and flexibility will be applied. Please register to join the event here: https://msteams.link/4RPT

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0780d6
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093865-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£661,917 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£661,917 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
15 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 May 2027 - 2 May 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Newcastle City 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
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode
NE1 8QH
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
TLC22 Tyneside
Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Monument
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...