Community Carers Support Service

Descriptions

Luton Borough Council (LBC) is undertaking a Pre-Tender Market Engagement (PTME) exercise in preparation for the procurement of a Community Carers Support Service. The purpose of this engagement is to test market appetite, inform the final specification, and ensure that the new model reflects both national best practice and the specific needs of Luton's diverse caring community.

Overview

The proposed service will deliver information, advice, navigation, and practical and emotional support for unpaid carers aged 18 and above. It will play a key role in improving early identification, wellbeing, and resilience among carers, while ensuring access to appropriate support at different points in their caring journey.

The model aligns to the Luton Carers Strategy 2023-2028, which focuses on four priorities:

Identifying carers earlier

Improving access to the right support

Strengthening carer wellbeing and resilience

Embedding carer voice in decision-making

The service will form part of Luton's wider approach to early intervention, prevention, and community-based support, complementing the Council's statutory duties under the Care Act 2014.

The service will be required to provide:

Early identification and engagement of carers, including outreach in community and health settings.

Information, advice, and navigation support (including signposting to benefits, employment, and respite opportunities).

Co-produced Carer Action Plans and use of an Outcomes Star or equivalent tool to measure progress.

Targeted wellbeing and peer support activities, including carer drop-ins, forums, and group sessions.

Active involvement in the design and delivery of activities for Carers Week and Carers Rights Day.

Close partnership working with the Young Carers Service, health colleagues, and the wider VCSE sector.

The service will also contribute to system priorities, including improved data on carer demographics, access, and outcomes, supporting a "whole-family" approach across health and social care.

Access and Delivery of Service

The service will be delivered face-to-face across community venues, family hubs, and libraries, alongside telephone and online support. A dedicated business office is not required; instead, delivery will be rotational across neighbourhoods, ensuring equal access and visibility across the borough.

Delivery will be flexible, including sessions outside normal office hours, to accommodate working carers. The provider will be expected to record and report on all modes of access - in person, telephone, email, and virtual contact - to support LBC's insight and monitoring requirements.

Pre-Tender Market Engagement

Luton Borough Council invites prospective providers to attend a virtual market engagement session to:

Present the outline service model and proposed outcomes framework.

Discuss the commissioning intentions, including opportunities for innovation, partnership, and local alignment.

Gather market feedback to refine the final service specification and tender documents.

There will be an opportunity for a Q&A session at the end of the presentation.

To register your attendance, please email Caroline Sturman (caroline.sturman@luton.gov.uk) no later than 4pm on 21 October 2025. Please include the names, roles, and email addresses of all attendees and a Teams invite will be sent to you.

It is intended that the new Community Carers Support Service will be procured on a three-year contract with the option to extend by up to two additional years (3+1+1).

The indicative contract value is approximately £143,000 per annum, subject to final confirmation through the procurement process.

Luton Borough Council will use the ProContract (Due North) e-procurement system for publication and management of the tender process.

Important Information

The purpose of this exercise is to inform and shape the forthcoming procurement. Participation in this engagement does not constitute a formal expression of interest and will not affect eligibility to bid. No preference or advantage will be given to those attending.

This notice is not a call for competition under the Procurement Act 2023 but a pre-market engagement exercise to seek market feedback on the proposed service model and delivery expectations.