Bid to Win: Homecare Edition — Powered by Big Sister

Social value is no longer an optional extra in UK public sector tendering — it’s a core scoring area.

Especially in homecare procurement, where councils and NHS bodies seek providers who not only deliver outstanding care but also contribute to wider community goals, your social value offer can make the difference between winning and losing a contract.

At Big Sister, we’ve helped providers navigate the changing landscape through Bid to Win: Homecare Edition, and in 2025, the expectations around social value have risen even further.

In this guide, we break down exactly what you must get right — and why accreditations like Care for the Future can supercharge your bids.

What Is Social Value in Homecare Bidding?

Social value refers to the broader benefits your organisation delivers to the community beyond your core service.

In bidding, it often covers:

Local job creation
Skills development and training
Environmental sustainability
Support for vulnerable groups
Community engagement
Health and wellbeing initiatives

Since the introduction of the UK Government’s Social Value Model in 2021 (PPN 06/20), public contracts must formally consider social value as at least 10% of the evaluation score — often more for social care tenders.

In 2025, many local authorities have increased that weighting to 15–20%, making it even more important.

Why It Matters Even More in 2025

Several key shifts have made social value even more critical this year:

Levelling Up Agenda: Councils are under pressure to show investment in local communities.
Post-pandemic recovery: There’s an emphasis on health inequality reduction and community resilience.
Environmental commitments: The NHS Greener Plan and local Net Zero strategies now feed into social value expectations.
Care workforce crisis: Supporting workforce sustainability is seen as a public good.

In short: if your bid doesn’t clearly articulate high-impact, measurable social value commitments — you’ll struggle.

The 5 Essentials to Boost Your Social Value Score

Local Employment and Skills Building

Demonstrating that you:

Recruit locally
Offer apprenticeships
Upskill your workforce with recognised qualifications

Example:
“We commit to hiring 80% of new carers from within a 10-mile radius, creating 20 apprenticeships over the contract term.”

Make sure you specify numbers, geographies, and timeframes. Vague promises won’t cut it.

Health and Wellbeing Initiatives

Beyond client care, how does your organisation promote wellbeing?

Options include:

Staff mental health programmes
Service user activity clubs
Community wellbeing workshops

Example:
“We will run monthly dementia-friendly cafes open to all older residents in the borough, targeting social isolation.”

Environmental Responsibility

Every provider is now expected to contribute to carbon reduction.

Commitments could include:

Reducing mileage through efficient rostering
Transitioning to electric vehicles
Going paperless with care records
Eco-friendly uniform suppliers

Example:
“By 2026, 50% of our fleet will be electric vehicles, reducing annual CO2 emissions by 12 tons.”

Supporting Vulnerable and Underrepresented Groups

Demonstrate inclusive practices such as:

Targeted employment for care leavers, disabled people, or veterans
Outreach to hard-to-reach communities
Language or cultural adaptation of services

Example:
“We will offer guaranteed interview schemes for care-experienced young people, with supported onboarding.”

Measurement, Reporting, and Legacy

It’s not enough to make promises — you must show how you’ll measure and report your social value delivery.

Example:
“We will submit quarterly social value reports aligned to the council’s metrics, and publish an annual impact statement.”

Demonstrating legacy — how your social value offer will have lasting impact beyond the contract — scores big points.

How Care for the Future Accreditation Strengthens Your Bids

Achieving Care for the Future accreditation shows commissioners that you:

Are committed to social value at a strategic level
Have measurable processes already embedded
Align with public sector procurement priorities

This gives evaluators confidence that you’re not making empty promises — you’re already walking the talk.

It can also:

Pre-qualify you for specific frameworks
Strengthen your evidence sections
Differentiate you from competitors

Big Sister Insight:
In 2025 we’re focused on ensuring that bids backed by a recognised accreditation like Care for the Future consistently score 5–10% higher on social value criteria.

That could be the margin between first and third place in a tight competition.

Jill’s Perspective: Social Value Is Your Secret Weapon

Jill, founder of Big Sister, shares:

“When we first started tendering 20 years ago, social value was a footnote and certainly wasn’t a buzzword.

Today, it’s a headline act. The providers who win understand that they’re not just selling hours of care — they’re selling hope, opportunity and community impact.

In every bid, you must answer not just ‘how will you care?’ but also ‘how will you change lives beyond care?’ That’s the new standard.”

And it’s not going away.

Common Social Value Mistakes to Avoid

Being too vague:(“We support our community.”) → Not good enough.
Over-promising with no delivery plan:Evaluators will spot unrealistic pledges.
Ignoring environmental factors:Even small steps toward sustainability matter now.
Failing to track and report:Commissioners increasingly want proof, not just promises.

Final Thought: Social Value Is About Being Strategic — and Genuine

Social value is not just a tender buzzword. It’s a philosophy. It’s how you show that your organisation is a force for good — not just in the lives of your service users, but in the community at large.

Done right, it:

Wins contracts
Strengthens reputation
Motivates your team
Improves your bottom line

At Big Sister, we believe every care provider has powerful social value stories to tell — you just need the right strategy to bring them to the forefront.