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Home care tenders and contracts

Domiciliary care tenders in the UK

Domiciliary care tenders are how councils, the NHS and Health and Social Care Trusts buy home care from independent providers. Since February 2025 most are run under the Procurement Act 2023 as open frameworks or dynamic markets, split into geographic lots or zones, and published on Find a Tender, Sell2Wales, Public Contracts Scotland or eTendersNI. Councils mostly score quality, often at a fixed hourly rate, and expect you to be registered with the care regulator for your nation.

See home care noticesTender writing from £1,500 + VAT0333 577 0877

Domiciliary care tenders and contract notices

Updated 10 Nov 2026, refreshed every 30 minutes

Start with what is coming up. Market engagement events and pipeline notices tell you a council is about to tender, while there is still time to meet commissioners and get ready.

Showing 1 to 9 of 28

Market engagement · tender expected 1 Apr 2027

Value

£400m

Homecare Services

Buyer
Leeds City Council
Area
Leeds, Yorkshire and the Humber
Service
Domiciliary care
Contract term
31 Mar 2028 to 31 Mar 2030
Show interestMore details

Tender expected 4 Apr 2028

Value

£196m

Care at Home

Buyer
Cheshire East Borough Council
Area
Cheshire East, North West
Service
Domiciliary care, Framework
Contract term
1 Apr 2029 to 31 Mar 2034
Show interestMore details

Tender expected 1 Jan 2027

Value

£180m

Home Care

Buyer
Swindon Borough Council
Area
Swindon, South West
Service
Domiciliary care
Contract term
2 Jan 2028 to 1 Jan 2038
Show interestMore details

Every care tender in one place, filtered by service and region.

Browse all care tenders

How councils buy home care in 2026

Very few home care contracts go to a single winner. Most councils build a panel of providers and offer packages through it, so the question is how and when you can get on the list.

Open framework

A list of approved providers that must reopen to new bidders at least once in its first three years, then at least every five. Up to eight years in total.

Harrow: £160m home care open framework, 7 lots, 2026 to 2029 with extensions to 2034

Dynamic market

The Procurement Act replacement for the DPS. Providers can apply to join at any time and there is no cap on numbers; packages are then offered to members.

Introduced by the Procurement Act in February 2025

Legacy DPS

Dynamic purchasing systems set up before February 2025 carry on until their own end date, and close by 23 February 2029 at the latest.

Powys: domiciliary care DPS with town, rural and remote rural lots

Framework or select list with zones

A one-off tender for a fixed panel, often split into geographic zones so providers can recruit locally and cut travel time.

Durham: £300m domiciliary care and reablement, 10 demand zones, from April 2026

Block or zoned contract

A guaranteed volume of hours in one area, usually for providers with a track record there.

Merthyr Tydfil: £53m, 3 zones of 2 lots, scored 70% quality and 30% price

Spot purchase

One package at a time, agreed case by case when framework providers cannot pick it up. A common first route for new providers.

Used when panel providers cannot pick up a package

NHS bodies buy home care for people with continuing healthcare needs in the same ways, often through a framework or an any qualified provider list.

What the Procurement Act 2023 changed for home care tenders

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 stopped applying to new procurements on 24 February 2025 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many guides still describe the old rules.

Light touch threshold for home care and other social care services
£663,540
Light touch threshold for home care and other social care services
Standard threshold for councils' other services contracts
£207,720
Standard threshold for councils' other services contracts
Councils must publish below-threshold contracts they advertise above this
£30,000
Councils must publish below-threshold contracts they advertise above this

All including VAT, from 1 January 2026 (PPN 023). Central government and NHS trusts publish below-threshold contracts above £12,000.

Where notices go

Before: Find a Tender and Contracts Finder

Now: Find a Tender, the central digital platform, for almost everything. Contracts Finder is only for procurements started before 24 February 2025

Joining at any time

Before: Dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

Now: Dynamic market. Existing DPSs close by 23 February 2029

Frameworks

Before: Closed frameworks only

Now: Open frameworks that reopen to new bidders, as well as closed ones

Proving you can deliver

Before: Selection questionnaire with set evidence lists

Now: Conditions of participation that must be proportionate to the contract

Accounts

Before: Often asked for two or three years of accounts

Now: Audited accounts can only be asked for if you are legally required to have them; other evidence must be accepted

Insurance

Before: Certificates often required at bid stage

Now: Cannot be required until the contract starts; a commitment is enough

Experience

Before: Some buyers asked for past work with them

Now: Buyers cannot require past work with their own authority

New providers

Before: References and reliance rules in PCR 2015

Now: You can rely on a parent company, consortium partner or subcontractor with a binding agreement

Scotland is not under the Act. Scottish councils still use the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 and publish on Public Contracts Scotland.

NHS health care is bought under the Provider Selection Regime, but social care, including home care, is outside it unless it is part of a mixed health and care contract.

The Procurement Act 2023 explained

What councils ask for, and how home care bids are scored

Passing the conditions gets you through the door. The written quality answers decide whether you win a place, and which lots.

What you usually need to bid

  • Registration for personal careWith CQC, CIW, the Care Inspectorate or RQIA, before you deliver any care.
  • A local office or presenceMany councils ask for a base within or near the zone, so carers can reach people on time.
  • Electronic call monitoringA system that logs visit times. Most home care contracts make it a condition.
  • Insurance by the start dateEmployers' and public liability at the levels the council sets, in place when the contract begins.
  • Financial standingAccounts if you have them, or other evidence such as management accounts, a bank reference or a parent company guarantee.
  • Policies and workforce planSafeguarding, medicines, recruitment and training, and how you will staff the hours you bid for.

How bids are scored

Quality and price, in two real models

Merthyr Tydfil, 202670% quality, 30% price
Fixed hourly rate100% quality

Social value is often scored inside quality. Central government must give it at least 10%; councils can choose their own weighting.

Quality questions we see most often

  1. 1Mobilisation: how you will start packages safely and quickly
  2. 2Recruitment and retention of care workers in the zone
  3. 3Safeguarding and managing risk at home
  4. 4Medicines support and recording
  5. 5Continuity of care and avoiding rushed or shortened visits
  6. 6Outcomes, reablement and working with health partners
  7. 7Rural or hard to reach areas
  8. 8Social value for the local area
A bid team checking a home care tender submission against the council's documents

New or unrated provider?

You can still bid for many home care tenders

  • No rating yet. Many councils ask for Good or above, but not all; some accept newly registered providers with evidence of safe systems.
  • No accounts yet. Under the Act, buyers must look at other evidence of financial standing if you are not required to have audited accounts.
  • No track record with that council. Buyers cannot require past work with their own authority. Experience elsewhere, and your managers' experience, count.
  • Too small alone. You can bid with a partner or rely on a parent company, with a binding agreement.

What councils pay for home care

The average council rate is about £9 an hour below what the Homecare Association says it costs to deliver care legally and sustainably. Know your own cost per hour before you bid.

Hourly rates for home care in England
  • Average rate councils pay, 2025/26£25.05

    GOV.UK council fee data (MSIF)

  • Homecare Association minimum price, 2026/27£34.42

    Homecare Association

  • Councils' own in-house home care, 2024/25£36.83

    DHSC finance report

29% of public bodies paid below the direct cost of employing a care worker at the minimum wage, according to Homecare Association FOI data (December 2025).

£12.71
National Living WageFrom April 2026, before holiday pay, travel time, pension and National Insurance.
15%
Employer National InsuranceOn earnings above £5,000 a year since April 2025.
2028
Fair Pay AgreementThe first adult social care pay agreement in England is due to take effect in April 2028.
July 2025
Care worker visa closedNo new overseas recruits on the care worker route, so bids must show local recruitment.

Where to find home care tenders

Each nation has its own notice service. Our feed brings them together, and the notice codes tell you how close a tender is.

  • England

    Find a Tender

    Every notice under the Act. Councils then run the tender on their own portal, such as ProContract, In-tend, Atamis, Delta or YORtender.

  • Wales

    Sell2Wales

    Welsh councils publish here, and notices also reach Find a Tender.

  • Scotland

    Public Contracts Scotland

    Under the Scottish regulations rather than the Procurement Act.

  • Northern Ireland

    eTendersNI

    Health and Social Care Trusts tender home care in local lots.

Read the notice code

  1. UK1

    Pipeline notice

    A buyer's planned contracts over £2m for the next 18 months. Your earliest warning.

  2. UK2

    Preliminary market engagement

    Events and questionnaires before the tender. Go, ask questions and be remembered.

  3. UK4

    Tender notice

    The tender is live, with documents, lots and the deadline.

  4. UK6

    Contract award notice

    Who won, and often the value. Useful for your next bid.

  5. UK7

    Contract details notice

    The signed contract, published after award.

How to get domiciliary care contracts, step by step

Most of the work happens before the tender notice. Providers who wait for the deadline start writing with the least time and the least influence.

A care provider and bid writer planning a home care tender response

  1. Months before

    Get bid ready

    Registration, policies, a workforce plan, evidence of outcomes and a cost model. Read the council's market position statement.

  2. At engagement

    Meet the commissioners

    Attend market engagement events and answer questionnaires. This is where lots, zones and rates are shaped.

  3. Day 1

    Decide to bid

    Check the lots, conditions, rate and questions against your capacity. Bid only for zones you can staff.

  4. Weeks 1 to 4

    Write and evidence

    Answer each quality question against the scoring guide, within the word limits, with local evidence.

  5. Deadline

    Submit and clarify

    Upload on the council's portal well before the deadline and answer any clarification questions.

  6. After award

    Mobilise

    Recruit for the zone, set up call monitoring and take your first packages.

Tender success stories

Home care and care tenders we have helped win

Council frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems and approved lists won with bids we wrote, led by home care in Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Barnsley. Each letter is the council's own.

council awards
10
councils
9
tenders won by Living Plus Care
6 of 7

Results from bids we wrote with each provider, as told in their success stories. Each letter opens the council's own notice. Living Plus Care Services shared a registered office with us and, until September 2026, a director, so its results are not an independent endorsement.

All success stories

Domiciliary care tender writing

We write home care tenders with care providers, from first read to mobilisation. Fixed fee per tender, agreed before we start.

Before

  • Bid or no bid review

    We read the documents with you and check the lots, conditions, rate and questions against what you can deliver.

  • Tender readiness

    Policies, workforce plan, evidence of outcomes and a cost per hour model, ready before the notice comes out.

Writing

  • Quality answers

    Every method statement written to the scoring guide and word limits, with your local evidence and real examples.

  • Social value and pricing

    Local commitments you can deliver and measure, and a check that your price covers the true cost of care.

Submission

  • Compliance check and upload

    Every form, declaration and attachment checked against the instructions before it goes on the portal.

After

  • Mobilisation and feedback

    A mobilisation plan for your first packages, and a review of the evaluation feedback for the next bid.

Fixed fee

From £1,500

+ VAT per tender, agreed before we start

  • Home care frameworks, dynamic markets and DPS applications
  • Council and NHS continuing healthcare tenders
  • England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Book a consultationMore about our tender writing

Watch and read

Our team on finding the right tenders, reading a real home care framework and checking you are eligible.

Care tenders UK: stop searching, start winning

Where councils publish care tenders, how to read them and how to decide which to bid for.

Barnet homecare tender 2026: the framework and its lots explained

A walkthrough of a real 2026 council home care framework, lot by lot.

The wrong regulator costs you the contract: tender eligibility checks

Three checks to make before you bid, starting with registration for the right service.

Bid ready check

Not sure you are ready for your council's next home care tender?

We will look at the tender, your registration, policies and staffing, and tell you honestly whether to bid.

Book a consultation

Some of the providers we have worked with

Client reviews

What care providers say about working with us

Care providers describe working with us, in their own words, on Trustpilot and Google.

Trustpilot

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  • First of all i want to give Millicent…

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    Audrey Eastwood

    3 October 2026

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    Care Sync Experts supported with well tailored documentations for the CQC application, good prep/training for the CQC interview and prompt communication throughout the CQC registration stages which led to the success of Novaedge application I had an excellent experience working with Care Sync Experts on my CQC registration application. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated exceptional professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to ensuring my application met the required CQC standards. They provided clear guidance throughout the entire process, helped me prepare all the necessary documentation, and ensured I was fully ready for every stage of the application. Their attention to detail, prompt communication, and willingness to answer every question gave me confidence and made what could have been a stressful process much smoother. I truly appreciated their personalised support and expertise. Thanks to their dedication, I felt well-prepared throughout my CQC registration journey. I would confidently recommend Care Sync Experts to anyone seeking reliable and professional support with CQC registration and healthcare compliance.

    Novaedge Services Limited

    25 July 2026

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    Care Sync Experts are reliable, honest and operate with integrity. All the staff are knowledgeable and supportive whenever you need guidance. I recommend them for all those loking for CQC support services.

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  • I am genuinely grateful that I chose Care Sync

    I am genuinely grateful that I chose Care Sync Experts to support me in establishing my domiciliary care company, Precious Care. From my very first conversation with them, it was clear that they truly understood my needs. Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism were evident from the start—they really do live up to their name. The support provided to me and my wider team was exceptional and truly limitless. No matter how small the question, they were always available, approachable, and ready to help. From day one, Millicent and Collins made us feel valued and important. Speaking with them felt like talking to people I had known for years—warm, reassuring, and always willing to go the extra mile. Every phone call ended with clarity and confidence. Millicent’s guidance, training, and ongoing support were outstanding and made the entire process smooth and stress‑free. Without hesitation, I would recommend Care Sync Experts as the go‑to professionals for anyone seeking EXPERT support in this field.

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    I found the material I was given very informative. This helped build my confidence during my CQC interview preparation. The staff responded to my inquiries timeously

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    I couldn’t be more grateful for Care Sync experts exceptional support during our CQC interview presentations. From the very beginning, Millicent and Collins were not only professional but also incredibly approachable and dedicated. Every time we needed assistance, they were right there ready to help with guidance, expert advice, and all the information required to ensure our success. When our interview dates kept changing, Care Sync flexibility truly set them apart. They rescheduled sessions without hesitation and even provided extra sessions, going far beyond what we had paid for. Their unwavering commitment was a crucial factor in us achieving our CQC certification. Thanks to their 100% support, Victory Growth Care Services is now proudly registered with CQC. I wholeheartedly recommend Care Sync expats for anyone looking for top-notch, dependable support in navigating the complexities of CQC interviews. Their team truly makes a difference!

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1,200+ care providers supported

Bidding for a home care tender?

Send us the tender or tell us which council you want to work with. We will tell you whether it is right for you and write a bid that answers what the commissioners asked, at a fixed fee.

  • An honest bid or no bid view on the tender
  • Quality answers written to the council's scoring guide
  • A price that covers the true cost of care
Book a consultation0333 577 0877
A home care worker checking in with a smiling older woman at home

Domiciliary care tender FAQs

Last reviewed

Domiciliary care tenders are the way councils, NHS integrated care boards and, in Northern Ireland, Health and Social Care Trusts buy home care from independent providers. The buyer publishes a notice, providers submit written bids, and the buyer appoints one or more providers to a framework, dynamic market or contract, usually split into geographic lots or zones. Packages of care are then offered to the providers on the list.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland every tender under the Procurement Act 2023 is published on Find a Tender, the government's central digital platform. Welsh councils also use Sell2Wales, Scottish councils use Public Contracts Scotland and Northern Ireland Trusts use eTendersNI. The tender itself is then run on the council's own portal, such as ProContract, In-tend, Atamis or Delta. Our notice feed brings home care notices from these sources together on this page.
Register with the care regulator for personal care, then find out how your council buys home care: read its market position statement and its notices to see whether it uses an open framework, a dynamic market, a legacy DPS or spot purchasing. Go to market engagement events, get your policies, workforce plan and cost model ready, and bid when the framework opens. Many councils also want a local office within the zone and electronic call monitoring.
Since 24 February 2025 new procurements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland follow the Procurement Act 2023 instead of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Notices go on Find a Tender, dynamic purchasing systems are replaced by dynamic markets, councils can use open frameworks that reopen to new providers, and conditions of participation must be proportionate. Buyers cannot demand audited accounts you are not legally required to have, insurance before award, or past work with their own authority. Scotland is not covered by the Act.
A closed framework appoints a fixed panel for its whole term. An open framework must reopen to new providers at least once in its first three years and lasts up to eight years. A dynamic purchasing system (DPS) let providers join at any time; no new ones can be set up under the Procurement Act and existing ones close by 23 February 2029. A dynamic market is its replacement: providers can apply to join at any time and there is no limit on numbers.
Often, yes. Many councils ask for a Good rating, but not all, and some accept newly registered providers who can show safe systems and experienced managers. Under the Procurement Act buyers must accept other evidence of financial standing if you do not have audited accounts, cannot require past work with their own authority, and must let you rely on a partner or parent company with a binding agreement. Spot purchasing and dynamic markets are common first routes in.
Not always. A Good or Outstanding rating is a common condition, but some frameworks accept providers who are registered and not yet inspected. Check the conditions of participation in each tender. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the equivalent registration is with CIW, the Care Inspectorate or RQIA.
Under the Procurement Act a buyer can only ask for audited accounts if you are legally required to have them, and must otherwise accept other evidence such as management accounts, a bank reference or a guarantee. Insurance cannot be required before the contract is awarded; you can be asked to commit to having the required cover by the start date.
It varies by council. Some score quality and price, for example Merthyr Tydfil's 2026 tender at 70% quality and 30% price. Many fix the hourly rate and score quality only. Quality questions usually cover mobilisation, recruitment and retention, safeguarding, medicines, continuity of care, outcomes, rural coverage and social value, each scored against a published guide and word limit.
Councils in England paid home care providers an average of £25.05 per contact hour in 2025/26, up 5.3% on the year before, according to GOV.UK's Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund fee data. The Homecare Association's minimum price for 2026/27 is £34.42 an hour in England, so many rates sit well below the full cost of care. Rates vary from council to council.
For people paying for themselves, the NHS says help at home from a paid carer costs from about £15 to £30 an hour, depending on where you live. Councils paid providers an average of £25.05 an hour in 2025/26, according to GOV.UK fee data, while the Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price at £34.42 an hour in England.
No. A framework or dynamic market place makes you eligible to be offered packages, but most do not guarantee any hours. Work usually goes to providers who can pick up packages quickly in the right zone, so capacity and local recruitment matter as much as your tender score.
Home care is a light touch service. From 1 January 2026 the light touch threshold is £663,540 including VAT, and contracts above it follow the Procurement Act's light touch rules. Below that, councils must still publish contracts they advertise over £30,000 including VAT, and central government and NHS trusts over £12,000.
Yes. Councils and the NHS use home care, homecare, care at home, support at home and domiciliary care for the same service: personal care and support in someone's own home. Search for all of these terms, because notice titles vary from buyer to buyer.
Usually around six weeks from the tender notice to the deadline. Harrow's 2026 home care open framework was published on 12 January with a 25 February deadline, and Durham's was published on 3 December 2025 with a 16 January 2026 deadline. That is why preparing before the notice, at the market engagement stage, makes such a difference.
Yes. Integrated care boards buy home care for people with continuing healthcare needs, often through a framework or an any qualified provider list. Health care services fall under the Provider Selection Regime, but social care, including home care, is outside it unless it forms part of a mixed health and care contract.
Our tender writing starts from £1,500 + VAT per tender, as a fixed fee agreed before we start. It covers a bid or no bid review, the quality answers, social value, a compliance check before upload and a mobilisation plan if you win.
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