Direct Payment Support Services

West Sussex County Council
South East
Open procedure
1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031

The service provides universal information and advice on direct payments, alongside an intensive core employment service for individuals choosing to employ personal assistants. The supplier acts as a subject matter expert to help the authority develop access to direct payments, enabling service users to exercise choice and control over their care and support plans.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £2.4m; As published
Published: 19 May 2025
Awarded: 15 October 2025; Independent Lives
Contract length: 60 months; Ends 31 March 2031

What the contract covers

Single service contract

Provision of specialist direct payment support services, including information, advice, and employment assistance for personal assistants and care recipients.

Universal information and advice service on all aspects of Direct Payments for eligible customers
Intensive Core Employment Service for eligible customers who choose to employ a Personal Assistant
Direct Payment support for recipients of a Direct Payment and those who support them

Terms and requirements

Contract type: Single service contract
Procedure: Open procedure
Initial term: 60 months
Extensions: 24 months
Longest it can run: 84 months
Contract dates: 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031
Certifications asked for: None stated
Lots: 1
Suitable for SMEs: Yes
Suitable for charities and social enterprises: Yes
Category: Services
CPV codes: 85000000, 85320000

Services in this contract

Direct payment support, brokerage and support planningMain service£474k typicalDirect Payment information and advice plus employment support for personal assistant employers

Lifecycle

Published
19 May 2025
Contract awardedto Independent Lives
15 October 2025
Contract starts
1 April 2026
Contract ends
31 March 2031

The buyer

West Sussex County Council

Type: Locked
Contracts, 24 months: Locked
Recorded value: Locked
Typical contract: Locked
Direct payments payroll contracts, 24 months: Locked

Buys most

Contact details

Name: Locked
Email: Locked
Website: Locked
Address: Locked

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The supplier

Independent Lives

Contracts won, 24 months: Locked
Value won, 24 months: Locked
Buyers, 24 months: Locked
Size: Locked
Companies House number: Locked

Main buyers

Contact details

Email: Locked

See everything Independent Lives has won

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Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/321874/direct-payment-support-services
Buyer reference: C20278
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-0516bd
Last checked: 5 November 2026

West Sussex County Council. Direct Payment Support Services. Contract award, 19 May 2025. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/321874/direct-payment-support-services (accessed 5 November 2026).