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Who pays? Understanding cost misalignment between the NHS and Local Government

Local Government Association (LGA)

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

05 Oct 2026 at 16:09

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Local Government Association (LGA) is commissioning a focused policy research project on how NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) interacts with local-authority adult social care. The work will examine local experience of CHC decision-making and spending pressures, whether health and social care funding and accountability arrangements create incentives that shift costs and risks between organisations, and the effects on councils, the NHS, people receiving care and support, and unpaid carers. It should identify reforms that could better align funding and accountability and inform the LGA’s policy development and engagement with government, national partners and stakeholders. This is research and related consultancy work. The procurement does not identify a delivery location.

The LGA invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. The tender deadline set by the buyer was 2 November 2026 at 23:59 UTC. The contract period runs from 10 November 2026 to 19 March 2027. The estimated value is £16,000 excluding VAT (£20,000 including VAT). The requirement is a single lot. The buyer will assess quality and price, combine the scores using the published percentage weightings, and select the quotation with the highest overall score. The contracting process reached the tender stage, when the buyer invited suppliers to submit offers.

This opportunity suits research and consultancy suppliers able to investigate health and social care policy, public funding and accountability, and the operation of NHS Continuing Healthcare alongside local-authority adult social care. Strong bidders will be able to analyse local variation and incentives, assess consequences for councils, NHS organisations, people receiving care and unpaid carers, and develop practical reform options. The findings need to support policy development and engagement with government and national stakeholders, so clear evidence synthesis and communication for policy audiences are relevant capabilities. The requirement is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The published scope does not set out particular accreditations, minimum staffing levels or required prior contracts.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Who pays? Understanding cost misalignment between the NHS and Local Government

Notice Description

The Local Government Association (LGA) is seeking a supplier to undertake a focused policy research project exploring the interaction between NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) and local authority adult social care. Recent evidence has highlighted growing concerns about the relationship between CHC decision-making, adult social care expenditure and the incentives created by current funding arrangements. ADASS's Spring Survey 2026 found that 75% of Directors of Adult Social Services reported an increase in the number of people presenting to adult social care who were, or previously would have been, eligible for CHC, while 84% reported that Integrated Care Board (ICB) disinvestment in CHC was contributing to adult social care overspending pressures. Research published by The King's Fund found that CHC eligibility rates have fallen significantly despite no change to the national eligibility framework, alongside substantial variation between different ICB areas. While CHC provides the primary lens for this project, the LGA is also interested in the wider question of whether current funding and accountability arrangements across health and social care create incentives that transfer costs and risks between organisations rather than supporting whole-system decision making. The LGA wishes to better understand: * How these issues are playing out locally * Whether current arrangements create misaligned incentives between organisations * The impact on local government, the NHS, people drawing on care and support, and unpaid carers * What reforms could improve alignment between health and social care funding and accountability. This work will inform future LGA policy development and engagement with government, national partners and stakeholders.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078110
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093966-2026
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
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
£16,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£16,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
2 Nov 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
10 Nov 2026 - 19 Mar 2027 1-6 months
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
Local Government Association (LGA)
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 3HZ
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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