Cost of Living Crisis & Local Government Procurement: January 2023 Update

Over the winter, financial circumstances have remained difficult for many across the UK. 

Tussell's market intelligence platform shows that Local Government authorities have continued to publish tenders and award contracts aimed at helping their residents bring down their energy bills, access food, and get advice.

In the latest instalment of our Cost of Living Crisis & Local Government Procurement series, we've spotlighted some of these measures released over the past few months.

If you're from a Local Government authority it's important to keep up-to-date on how your fellow councils are helping their residents, both as a source of ideas, but to also spot opportunities for joint procurement.

🔵 Real-time Community Listening Mental Health & Cost-of-Living, Tender Notice, Birmingham City Council

Many councils are looking to understand the impact of rising costs on their residents' mental well-being.

In December 2022, Birmingham City Council released a tender for a "consultancy/agency" to undertake a "4-month real-time community listening exercise" into how the cost of living crisis is affecting the mental health of Birmingham residents, and what steps can be taken to address it.

The exercise - which has been allocated a "maximum budget [of] up to £55,000" - would involve participants submitting short video diaries and blogs on their mental well-being, with the main themes being condensed into a final report with recommendations.

🔵 Warm and Safe Wiltshire, Tender Notice, Wiltshire Council

A large number of councils have launched - or expanded pre-existing -  helplines to offer advice and financial support to those exposed to fuel poverty.

Wiltshire and Swindon Borough Councils - in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy - published a £565,000 tender earlier this month concerning their Warm and Safe Wiltshire scheme.

The initiative aims to help to vulnerable Wiltshire and Swindon residents experiencing fuel poverty through advice, financial support, and "home visits and ongoing case work to those in need of the most support".

🔵 Provision of employment and community-based support to economically inactive residents, Tender Notice, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council are on the lookout for provider to deliver a wide range of services aimed at engaging "economically inactive people in activities to become work ready".

This will include both direct employment, but also advice sessions, workshops, events and "support around the cost of living".

The £800,000 project is being funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

🔴 Fuel Poverty and Health Programme, Contract Award, Leicester City Council

In a similar vein, Leicester City Council awarded a £673,000 contract to National Energy Action - a leading fuel poverty charity - earlier this month "for the provision of specialist advice and guidance to tackle the effects of fuel poverty as a result of increasing energy prices in 2022."

The Programme will see NEA provide training to front-line and school staff, while also referring particularly vulnerable individuals "to a fuel poverty and health crisis fund".

🔴 Energy Advice and Assistance Service, Contract Award, North Lanarkshire Council

North Lanarkshire Council also awarded a helpline-related contract award earlier this month.

The £150,000 contract - awarded to The Wise Group, a social enterprise working to lift people out of poverty - will see the provision of energy advice surrounding bills, tariffs and metering issues, as well as advocacy when dealing with energy suppliers, to those referred or self-referred to the service.

🔴 Provision of Slow Cookers, Contract Award, Staffordshire County Council

After a successful trial period in Newcastle under Lyme back in September, Staffordshire County Council has awarded a £479,000 contract to Mercateo - an international B2B procurement provider - for the provision of slow cookers.

These slow cookers will be distributed to "a variety of homes for persons / families on low incomes across the county of Staffordshire."

🔴 The Supply and Installation of Air Source Heat Pumps, Contract Awards, Contract Award, Sunderland City Council

Following a successful bid for funding from the Warm Homes Fund, Sunderland City Council awarded a hefty £1.5 million contract for 135 electric heat pumps.

The supplier - PHS Home Solutions - will "support the administration of the Warm Homes Fund grant conditions, and [arrange] the installation of the" heat pumps to 135 E-F-G rated low-income properties that don't have a central heating, don't use solid fuel, or use an "inefficient Electric Storage Heater".

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Trawling through Tussell shows that Local Government authorities are continuing to leverage public procurement to aid residents during these difficult times.

To learn how other authorities have been responding to the cost of living crisis, check out our updates from September and November last year.

To see how you could be tracking these initiatives yourself, book in a quick personalised demo of the Tussell platform.