--- title: "Direct Payment Support Service" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Cumberland Council" published: "2026-08-27" --- # Direct Payment Support Service Buyer: Cumberland Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20.json) ## Summary Cumberland Council intends to recommission a Direct Payment Support Service for eligible children, young people and families who receive Direct Payments. This is a public social care service, covering social work and related support. The service is intended to help recipients manage and use their Direct Payments, although the published outline does not set out a detailed service model. The buying organisation is Cumberland Council, a local authority. The service will support people within the council’s area in the United Kingdom. The procurement is subject to the light-touch regime for social and other specific services. Suppliers whose work involves direct payment advice, family support, children’s services, personal budgets or related social care provision should consider the requirement relevant. This process is at the planning stage: Cumberland Council is carrying out pre-market engagement to understand the supplier market before any future tender. The survey responses will be used for market understanding, will not bind providers and will not form part of future tender submissions; general conclusions may be shared in decision-making reports, while individual responses will remain confidential. The council expected responses by noon on 7 September 2026. The anticipated contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028, with a possible extension to 31 March 2029. The current contract is expected to end in March 2027. The procurement is planned as a single lot under the light-touch regime, and its estimated value has not been stated. This will suit organisations with established experience supporting children, young people and families who receive Direct Payments. Relevant providers are likely to include social care specialists, family support organisations, charities, voluntary-sector bodies and firms delivering advice or practical assistance with personal budgets. Useful preparation would include demonstrating how staff support eligible families, explain payment arrangements clearly, work with children and young people, and coordinate with families and the council. Providers should be ready to describe their service model, safeguarding approach, workforce capability and experience delivering person-centred support. The council is currently seeking market intelligence rather than tenders, so participation at this stage is most useful for suppliers wanting to understand and potentially help shape the future requirement. ## Notice Cumberland Council is looking to recommission their Direct Payment Support Service for eligible children, young people and families receiving Direct Payments. The current Contract ends in March 2027. Responses to this survey are intended solely to inform the Council's understanding of the market. Any information provided is indicative only and will not be binding on providers or form part of any future tender submissions. We may share general conclusions in our decision-making reports, however individual responses will remain confidential. For further details and to access the pre-market engagement documents use the online procurement portal "The Chest" - https://www.the-chest.org.uk. Registration on The Chest is free The project number on The Chest is DN827607 Deadline for responses is 12:00 (noon) on Monday 07th September 2026 ### Planning Information Cumberland Council is looking to recommission their Direct Payment Support Service for eligible children, young people and families receiving Direct Payments. The current Contract ends in March 2027. Responses to this survey are intended solely to inform the Council's understanding of the market. Any information provided is indicative only and will not be binding on providers or form part of any future tender submissions. We may share general conclusions in our decision-making reports, however individual responses will remain confidential. For further details and to access the pre-market engagement documents use the online procurement portal "The Chest" - https://www.the-chest.org.uk. Registration on The Chest is free The project number on The Chest is DN827607 Deadline for responses is 12:00 (noon) on Monday 07th September 2026 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081569-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 27 Aug 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 7 Sep 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 | | 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 | Cumberland Council | | Locality | CARLISLE | | Postcode area | Carlisle | | Postcode | CA1 1RD | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLD1 Cumbria | | ITL 3 | TLD13 Cumberland | | Local authority | Cumberland | | Electoral ward | Castle | | Westminster constituency | Carlisle | | Delivery location | TLD1 Cumbria | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85300000 - Social work and related services ## Release History - 27 Aug 2026 at 08:35 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081569-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081569-2026 27th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.the-chest.org.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-h6vhtk-06ed20. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06ed20.json.