How to find care tenders in the UK
UK care tenders are published on Find a Tender Service for higher-value contracts, Contracts Finder for lower-value ones, and on council and NHS portals such as ProContract, Atamis and In-Tend. Set keyword alerts for terms like home care, supported living and care framework, and register on the local authority portals in your area. Many opportunities never reach open advert because they flow through frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems, so getting onto those lists matters as much as searching.
Where tenders are actually published
Contracts above the public procurement thresholds appear on Find a Tender Service. Lower-value opportunities appear on Contracts Finder. Beyond those national sites, each council and NHS body runs its own portal, commonly ProContract (Due North), Atamis or In-Tend, and you must register on each one to see and bid for its work.
Set up alerts and register early
Register on the portals covering the areas you can staff, then save searches for your service type. Use plain keywords: domiciliary care, supported living, extra care, reablement, children's home. Approve the alerts before a tender opens, not after, because care tender windows can be short.
The opportunities you cannot search for
A large share of care work is awarded through frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems. Once you are an approved provider, referrals and call-off contracts flow to you without a fresh open advert. If you only watch the open adverts, you miss the contracts that are gated behind being on the list.
Not sure if you qualify for a tender? We check it for free, before you pay anything, and we only take bids we believe you can win. Text TENDER to get started.
Common questions
Is there one website that lists every UK care tender?
No. Find a Tender and Contracts Finder cover national publication duties, but individual councils and NHS bodies advertise on their own portals. To see everything in your area you need to register on the relevant local portals as well.
Do I have to pay to find care tenders?
No. Find a Tender, Contracts Finder and the council portals are free to search and register on. Paid tender alert services repackage the same public data, which you can access directly yourself.
How do I know if a tender is worth pursuing?
Check the eligibility and pass-fail criteria first: CQC rating, turnover, insurance and lot scope. Our free eligibility check tells you whether you qualify before you spend any time on a bid.
Keep reading
Browse all care tender guides, or see care tender writing by service.
Got a tender to check?
Text TENDER to +44 7822 001898and we'll tell you free whether you'd qualify, before you spend a penny.