--- title: "Direct Payment Support Services" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL" published: "2024-12-16" --- # Direct Payment Support Services Buyer: WESTMORLAND AND FURNESS COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe.json) ## Summary Westmorland and Furness Council is inviting tenders for the provision of Direct Payment Support Services under the Children's Act 1989, with a specific focus on health and social work services. This procurement process follows an open procedure and is currently in the tender stage, with submissions due by 20 January 2025. The contract is valued at £132,000 and will be carried out in England, running from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Interested parties should note that this opportunity is specifically suited for SMEs, with no particular suitability for VCSEs. This tender offers a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in tailored support services for disabled children. It is especially beneficial for companies capable of delivering personalised care, employment, education, and leisure services beyond standard council provisions. By participating, businesses can enhance their portfolio, gain exposure, and secure a substantial contract with a local authority, promoting sustainable growth and long-term partnerships. Suitable businesses are those experienced in health and social work services, particularly those adept at providing family-centric solutions. ## 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/d61c5c50-50cc-465a-8fa8-24ffbc7b61fe | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Dec 2024 | | Submission deadline | 20 Jan 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2025 - 31 Mar 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £132,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | 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) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 16 Dec 2024 at 10:13 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d61c5c50-50cc-465a-8fa8-24ffbc7b61fe ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d61c5c50-50cc-465a-8fa8-24ffbc7b61fe 16th December 2024 - Opportunity 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 This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-af647e3e-8612-4fdc-ab24-29fff87959fe.json.