Social care tenders cover the care and support services that councils and NHS bodies pay other organisations to deliver: adult care at home, supported living and day services, children’s services, and support for carers. Providers can join a framework or dynamic market once, then compete for individual packages. This page explains the registration, vetting and procurement rules behind that, and the live list shows what is open now. Our tender eligibility checker is coming soon. Until then, tell us your trade and postcode to join the free weekly list of live tenders, starting soon.
What buyers usually ask social care providers for
The points below are written for England. If you operate in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, check the regulator and rules the pack names. The tender pack sets out anything on top.
Registration for regulated activities
It is an offence to carry on a regulated activity without being registered. In England the regulator is the Care Quality Commission, which regulates health and social care services. The regulations list the regulated activities, and personal care is one of them (see domiciliary care tenders). When the buyer wants to see your registration, at tender stage or before the contract starts, is in the pack.
Staff vetting: DBS checks
Standard and Enhanced DBS checks are only available where the role meets the legal criteria (England and Wales); Basic checks are open to anyone. The DBS eligibility guidance says the recruiting organisation is responsible for deciding if a check is needed and at what level. The DBS publishes separate guides for roles working with adults and roles working with children, including when an Enhanced check with barred list(s) applies.
If your service works with children, note that the supervision exemption was removed from the definition of regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026. That applies in England and Wales under section 139 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026, brought into force by SI 2026/939, and in Northern Ireland under section 140. Scotland has its own PVG Scheme.
Insurance
Employers’ liability insurance is compulsory for employers in Great Britain, with limited exemptions (Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969), and gov.uk says the cover must be at least £5 million. Public liability and professional indemnity levels are set contract by contract. The buyer sets this in the tender pack. See public liability cover.
Data security and policies
PPN 014 covers central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, and NHS bodies. Where it applies, for example because a supplier handles citizens’ personal information, Cyber Essentials (or equivalent) evidence is needed. It says in-scope bodies must not take a blanket approach. Councils aren’t named, so only assume you need it if the pack says so. Buyers also ask for safeguarding and other policies, and the pack lists which.
How councils buy care, and how to win it
In the week to 10 Oct 2026 there were 68 live health and social care notices in our data (CPV division 85, which includes health as well as social care) (as of 10 Oct 2026).
The market-shaping duty
Section 5 of the Care Act 2014 requires a council in England (a local authority as defined in section 1(4)) to promote the efficient and effective running of the market in care and support services, so that people can choose from a variety of providers and a variety of high-quality services.
Light-touch rules, dynamic markets and frameworks
Social care services (CPV 85300000 to 85320000) are listed as light-touch services in Schedule 1 of the Procurement Regulations 2024. The light-touch threshold is £663,540 including VAT (PPN 023). The guidance says these contracts must be advertised with a tender notice unless a direct award is justified. One justification is a “user choice” contract, for one person whose (or whose carer’s) views on the provider the council must by law consider, where they have expressed a preference (or only one provider can meet the need) and the council judges a competition isn’t in their best interests.
Dynamic markets (formerly dynamic purchasing systems) must stay open to new suppliers at any time. The usual four-year cap on frameworks doesn’t apply to light-touch frameworks, so check the notice for the term. In the same week, 72 of the 470 live notices mentioned frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems (DPS, now called dynamic markets) (as of 10 Oct 2026). See frameworks and dynamic markets.
NHS-commissioned health care follows different rules. In England, NHS bodies and local authorities buy health care services under the Provider Selection Regime, where regulation 6 sets direct award, most suitable provider and competitive processes, and a framework must use the competitive process. We cover that on health and social care tenders and in our guide to winning NHS contracts.
Lots, quality evidence and social value
On above-threshold contracts a buyer must consider lots, or give reasons for not using them. For light-touch contracts the buyer doesn’t have to justify in the tender notice a decision not to use lots (regulation 18(2)(q)), as the guidance explains. Bid for the area or client group you can staff.
Quality questions reward evidence you can prove: inspection outcomes, outcomes data, staff retention and training. Use dated figures from your own records.
Central government departments, their executive agencies and NDPBs must give social value at least a 10% weighting on above-threshold contracts where it is relevant and proportionate (PPN 002). Councils and NHS bodies aren’t in its scope, so see what the pack weights.
Pitfalls
- pricing below what it costs you to deliver safely, because the buyer’s rate looks achievable on paper
- offering geographic cover you can’t staff at the start date
- bidding for every lot rather than the ones your rota supports
If staffing is your constraint, see care staffing tenders for agency routes. The live list on this page picks up notices tagged with social work and related services codes (division 853).
Questions
How do councils commission social care services?
Councils can use tenders, frameworks and dynamic markets that providers join and then win packages from. Under section 5 of the Care Act 2014 a council in England must promote a market with a variety of providers and high-quality services. One justification for a direct award is a "user choice" contract, for one person whose (or whose carer's) views on the provider the council must by law consider, where they have expressed a preference (or only one provider can meet the need) and the council judges a competition isn't in their best interests. In England, health care bought by NHS bodies and councils follows different rules, the Provider Selection Regime.
Do I need to be CQC registered before bidding for care contracts?
The law makes it an offence to carry on a regulated activity in England without registration. It is about carrying on the activity, not about bidding. When the buyer wants to see your registration, at tender stage or before the contract starts, is set out in the tender pack.
What is a dynamic market (formerly DPS) and how do I join one?
A dynamic market is a list of qualified suppliers that a buyer can award contracts from. It must stay open to new suppliers to join at any time. The notice that sets it up explains how to apply and which parts of the market you can join.
What DBS checks do care tenders require?
It depends on the role. Standard and Enhanced DBS checks are only available where the role meets the legal criteria (England and Wales), and Basic checks are open to anyone. The recruiting organisation decides whether a check is needed and at what level. The tender pack should say what the buyer expects.
Can a small care provider win council contracts?
Yes. Look for lots or zones you can staff, places on frameworks and dynamic markets, and subcontracts from a larger provider. On above-threshold contracts a buyer must consider lots, or give reasons for not using them. For light-touch contracts the buyer doesn't have to justify in the tender notice a decision not to use lots (regulation 18(2)(q)). Check each notice for the lots, the registration it expects and the start date.