---
title: "Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "SOMERSET COUNCIL"
published: "2025-10-08"
---

# Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service

Buyer: SOMERSET COUNCIL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a.json)

## Summary

Somerset Council is in the planning stage of a procurement process for the "Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service" in the Somerset region (UKK23), United Kingdom. The main focus is on health and social work services, with the procurement being part of a light-touch regime. This service includes advising, setting up schemes, providing payroll and holding accounts services, and offering support for personal health budgets. Interested parties are required to express their interest by 24th October 2025, by responding to Somerset Council's designated contact, Steve Barker. The potential contract is anticipated to commence on 1st April 2026 and conclude on 31st March 2031.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), especially those with expertise in health and social work services. Businesses capable of scaling to meet the specified service capacities will find this contract attractive. With requirements such as maintaining considerable staffing levels and administrative capabilities, organisations focusing on innovative and efficient service delivery will be well-suited to compete for this contract, fostering growth and visibility in the public sector.

## Notice

If you are interested in this potential opportunity, then please express an interest by responding to the requirements set out below by Friday 24th October 2025 at 16:00. Please send responses to stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk Somerset Council is looking to assess market interest in the following Direct Payment (DP) services: * Advice and guidance * Scheme set up * Payroll service * Holding accounts (also known as managed accounts) * DP plus (extra support) * Personal Health Budget (PHB) Support Interested organisations must be able to meet the following requirements: * Provide advice and guidance Monday to Friday (9:00 till 17:00) via telephone, postal, support or face to face if necessary. * Capacity and staffing to provide advice and guidance for 2,300 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide a payroll service for 600 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide a holding account for 800 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide DP plus (extra support) for 50 people. * Capacity and staffing to support setting up Personal Health Budgets for approximately 30 people at year. The above quoted figures are subject to change.

### Planning Information

Please respond to the following taking into account the information provided above: -
Would you be interested in bidding for a potential tender for this Service in Somerset? Yes/ No
Please set out the estimated cost per annum for each of the following service areas:
Advice and guidance
Payroll Service
Holding Accounts
DP Plus
Personal Health Budgets
Please also set out any additional information on Service Delivery for each service area that you feel would be useful in supporting your estimated costs.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063184-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 8 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 24 Oct 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SOMERSET COUNCIL |
| Locality | TAUNTON |
| Post town | Taunton |
| Postcode | TA1 4DY |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK6 North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset |
| ITL 3 | TLK62 Somerset |
| Local authority | Somerset |
| Electoral ward | Bishop's Hull & Taunton West |
| Westminster constituency | Taunton and Wellington |
| Delivery location | TLK23 Somerset CC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 8 Oct 2025 at 09:59 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063184-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063184-2025
  8th October 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.somerset.gov.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-h6vhtk-05aa4a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a.json.