Direct Payment Support Service for Adults, Children and Carers

Newcastle City Council is seeking to appoint an organisation to provide comprehensive support to adults, children and carers using direct payments to purchase or arrange care and support services. Direct payments offer flexibility but require additional responsibility and support. The successful organisation will deliver: Information and Advice on direct payment benefits, budgeting, expenditure decisions, and signposting to payroll, insurance and pensions services; Employment Support including employer advice, payroll and tax guidance, employment templates, personal assistant recruitment assistance, pension auto-enrolment support, and DBS facilitation; Safeguarding and Compliance services including safe recruitment promotion, DBS support, safeguarding meeting attendance, and risk reporting; and Workforce Development providing training advice and professional development guidance for direct payment users and personal assistants. The service provider must also offer advice to social care professionals as needed and maintain a permanent base in Newcastle. Current demand includes approximately 487 adults receiving direct payments, with 315 service users in financial year 25/26. A formal Tender Notice will be published on the Central Digital Platform at a later stage.