Hartlepool advice-service tender closes Thursday at 2pm

Organisations able to provide financial-resilience advice in Hartlepool have until 2pm on Thursday 15 October 2026 to submit a bid for a new council contract.

Hartlepool Borough Council is commissioning a provider for its Crisis Resilience Fund Central Advice Contract. The service is intended to give residents proactive advice and support, helping people improve their financial security before a setback becomes an emergency.

A three-year shift towards prevention

The contract sits within the government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund, which runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. The national programme replaces the Household Support Fund and gives English local authorities ringfenced funding for crisis help and longer-term prevention.

Government guidance says the fund is for low-income households facing a financial shock, alongside activity that builds individual and community resilience. Hartlepool’s tender follows that wider approach. The council says it wants to reduce reliance on repeated emergency support by helping residents manage money pressures earlier and more sustainably.

The council’s public notice says the national fund provides £1 billion a year to local authorities. It does not state the value of Hartlepool’s advice contract, the expected number of people to be supported or the identity of a preferred provider. Those details should not be inferred from the notice.

How organisations can bid

Prospective providers must register as suppliers through the NEPO Open e-procurement portal and find the opportunity using reference OPEN20261989. Completed submissions must be returned through the portal by the deadline. The council does not present an ordinary email expression of interest as a substitute for a formal portal submission.

The opportunity may be relevant to established advice providers and voluntary, community or faith organisations with the necessary experience and capacity. However, organisations should read the full procurement documents on NEPO before deciding whether they meet the eligibility, service and contractual requirements.

The short timetable matters because this is not a general grant round. It is a competitive procurement for a service commissioned by the council. Interested organisations will need to follow the tender process and provide the information required in the procurement documents rather than sending an informal proposal.

Help for residents continues separately

This tender is for organisations seeking to run an advice service. It is not a new application route for residents, and it does not mean people in financial difficulty should wait for the procurement process to finish.

Hartlepool Council already lists Crisis and Resilience Fund help with short-term emergencies, essential household items, housing costs and some exceptional expenses. Support for financially vulnerable residents can include white goods, beds and carpets. The council says availability and eligibility vary, with parts of the local scheme still being developed.

The local support page also distinguishes immediate household help from longer-term housing assistance. Residents who cannot complete an application themselves may ask a trusted relative, friend or an existing professional supporter for help. The council advises people to check the current scheme details because not every form of support is available in the same way or at the same time.

Residents who need help can check the council’s current Crisis and Resilience Fund information, email crf@hartlepool.gov.uk or call 01429 266522. Organisations considering a bid should use the official tender notice and follow its NEPO instructions before 2pm on Thursday.