---
title: "Direct Payment Support Services"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-9c50fc64-7245-4ab0-b4af-65716eabd566"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-9c50fc64-7245-4ab0-b4af-65716eabd566"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-9c50fc64-7245-4ab0-b4af-65716eabd566.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-9c50fc64-7245-4ab0-b4af-65716eabd566.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL"
published: "2025-03-04"
---

# Direct Payment Support Services

Buyer: WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-9c50fc64-7245-4ab0-b4af-65716eabd566

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## Summary

The procurement process for Direct Payment Support Services, managed by Westmorland and Furness Council, has reached the award stage. This procurement falls under the health and social work services category (CPV: 85000000) and is located in England, United Kingdom. The contract period will run from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 with a total value of £132,000. The award was made via an open procedure, with the tender period having ended on 31 January 2025. The awarded supplier is People First, an SME headquartered in Carlisle, Cumbria.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses operating in the health and social care sector, particularly those skilled in providing support services for children and young people. The flexibility offered by direct payments attracts service providers who can offer bespoke employment, education, and leisure activities tailored to individual needs. Companies experienced in managing personal assistant services would find this contract particularly valuable. Engaging in such tenders can help businesses expand their footprint in the public sector, build relationships with local councils, and enhance their service portfolios.

## Notice

Section 17A of the Children's Act 1989, inserted by the Health and Social Care Act 2001, gave councils a duty to offer Direct Payments for children's services. In making Direct Payments under section 17A of the 1989 Act, councils are subject to the general duty provided by Part 3 of that Act to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need, and to promote their upbringing by their families when making these payments, in exactly the same way as when providing direct services. The power to make Direct Payments to people with parental responsibility for disabled children and to disabled 16 and 17-year-olds was created by the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000. If the Local Authority assesses a child or young person requires support to meet identified needs, these needs will be identified on a plan along with an identification of the services that can meet these needs. If families do not want to use services directly provided or commissioned by the Authority, they have the option of receiving the support by Direct Payments instead. A Direct Payment affords a family the flexibility to look beyond 'off-the-peg' service solutions provided by the Authority and choose from a range of alternative employment, education and leisure activities to meet their child's assessed needs. In many cases, the Direct Payment is used to employ a personal assistant to enable a child to access these activities.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/44b0f8bf-9cd6-454d-a65c-c853bd54b02b |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 4 Mar 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 31 Jan 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 27 Feb 2025 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2025 - 31 Mar 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £132,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £132,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL |
| Locality | KENDAL |
| Post town | Lancaster |
| Postcode | LA9 4DQ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD1 Cumbria |
| ITL 3 | TLD14 Westmorland and Furness |
| Local authority | Westmorland and Furness |
| Electoral ward | Kendal Strickland and Fell |
| Westminster constituency | Westmorland and Lonsdale |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | PEOPLE FIRST |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 4 Mar 2025 at 14:13 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/44b0f8bf-9cd6-454d-a65c-c853bd54b02b

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/44b0f8bf-9cd6-454d-a65c-c853bd54b02b
  4th March 2025 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=d251873e-93bb-ef11-8132-005056b64545
  Advert

## Notice URLs

- https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/

## Provenance

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