residential care

Residential care services are commissioned by local authorities to support adults or children who require accommodation with care in a registered setting.

These services are typically commissioned through frameworks, Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPSs), and call-off contracts, rather than informal placement arrangements. Once approved, providers may be invited to accept placements or respond to call-off opportunities under agreed contractual terms.

Residential care contracts may relate to long-term placements, block arrangements, or specific cohorts, depending on local authority need.

Residential care contracts are commonly delivered by:

• Residential Care Homes Owners for Older Adults
• Residential services for adults with learning disabilities
• Mental health residential services
• Residential providers supporting people with complex needs
• Providers delivering step-down or intermediate care
• Homes supporting hospital discharge pathways
• Residential providers expanding capacity or geographic coverage
• Providers seeking access to council placement frameworks

Both independent providers and small care groups regularly access residential contracts through public sector procurement routes.

Local authorities usually commission residential care by:

• Establishing a framework or DPS
• Approving eligible providers to join
• Issuing placement requests or call-off opportunities as needs arise
  

Once approved, providers may:

• Receive placement requests
• Be invited to respond to call-off opportunities
• Accept placements under agreed terms and rates
  

Commissioning models and volumes vary by authority.

CQC registration and inspection ratings are a central consideration in residential care commissioning, but requirements vary by authority and by opportunity.

Some frameworks and DPSs:

• Require a minimum inspection rating
• Specify conditions based on inspection history
• Accept newer services with limited inspection history, subject to additional evidence
  

Eligibility is assessed per opportunity, rather than assumed.

BidElevate reviews each residential opportunity against your:

• CQC registration and inspection outcomes
• Service type and registration category
• Local authority eligibility criteria

Only opportunities you are eligible for and appropriately positioned to pursue are taken forward.

In addition to regulatory compliance, local authorities expect residential providers to demonstrate that they have the physical and operational capacity to deliver placements safely and consistently.

This typically includes evidence of:

• Appropriate registration for the service being commissioned
• Available bed capacity or planned availability
• Staffing levels aligned to dependency and occupancy
• Recruitment, training, supervision, and rota arrangements
• Clear management, safeguarding, and escalation structures
  

BidElevate assesses capacity and readiness alongside eligibility, ensuring that applications and submissions are only progressed where delivery expectations can be realistically met.