Islington Council has launched its new £200 million Supported Housing and Floating Support Framework, creating opportunities for organisations delivering accommodation-based support, supported living and community services across London.
The framework will operate over eight years and covers four lots, ranging from intensive supported living for people with complex mental health needs to lower-support accommodation and floating support services. Its central objective is to help residents sustain tenancies, improve their wellbeing, reduce homelessness and achieve greater independence.
The deadline for requests to participate is 11:59am on 1 December 2026. Providers considering an application will need to demonstrate effective safeguarding, person-centred service delivery, meaningful resident involvement and measurable social value.
Islington Supported Housing Framework overview
Islington Council intends to establish a flexible framework that allows it to commission different types of supported accommodation and housing-related support according to local demand. The services are designed to help residents at different stages of their journey towards independence, recognising that support requirements may change over time.
The framework will accommodate both longer-term supported living and transitional services, alongside community-based support for people who may not need accommodation provided as part of their service.
Detail | Information |
|---|---|
Contracting authority | London Borough of Islington |
Framework reference | 2425-0692 |
Estimated value | £200 million including VAT |
Framework duration | 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2035 |
Number of lots | Four |
Supplier appointments | No initial minimum or maximum number |
Procurement procedure | Two-stage, light-touch competitive flexible procedure |
Participation deadline | 1 December 2026, 11:59am |
What are the four supported housing lots?
Lot 1: Complex long-term supported living
Lot 1 covers intensive, 24-hour supported living for people with complex mental health needs. Services will provide psychologically informed support focused on daily living skills, wellbeing and maintaining or developing independence.
Unlike the transitional accommodation lots, the length of stay will depend on the individual's needs. Providers will therefore need to consider how they demonstrate sustainable support arrangements, suitable staffing and ongoing management of complex needs.
Lot 2: High support transitional supported accommodation
Lot 2 covers 24-hour staffed accommodation for people with multiple and complex needs. The service is intended to support stabilisation, harm minimisation, recovery and the development of independence, with an emphasis on helping residents move towards lower levels of support.
Stays are expected to be for up to 24 months. A strong service proposition should explain how providers assess individual needs, develop support plans and prepare residents for a successful transition when appropriate.
Lot 3: Medium to low support transitional accommodation
Lot 3 focuses on accommodation and support for people with medium to low support requirements. Services will help residents build confidence, develop practical life skills, strengthen community connections and prepare for more independent accommodation.
Support should remain flexible and psychologically informed, with expected stays of up to 24 months. Providers should be ready to demonstrate how they encourage independence while recognising that individual progress may not always follow a straightforward path.
Lot 4: Floating support services
Lot 4 covers community-based support that is not tied to a specific accommodation service. This can include housing-related floating support, street homelessness outreach and support delivered in people's own homes or community settings.
The aim is to help individuals maintain or secure settled accommodation, achieve agreed goals and reduce their reliance on more intensive services. The length of support will depend on individual circumstances and the requirements of each call-off contract.
What is the framework worth?
The framework has an estimated overall value of £200 million including VAT, with an indicative value of £50 million for each of the four lots. The published notice also explains that lot values may be shared, so these figures should be treated as estimates rather than guaranteed allocations.
Islington Council does not intend to impose a minimum or maximum number of providers when the framework initially opens. It also reserves the right to reopen the arrangement during its term, allowing further organisations to apply for admission.
Call-off contracts will be awarded in line with the framework rules, with services purchased according to demand, available funding and, for accommodation-based services, the availability of suitable buildings.
How will Islington evaluate applications?
The procurement will use a two-stage process under the light-touch regime. During the first stage, providers must satisfy the minimum requirements in the procurement-specific questionnaire (PSQ). Organisations selected following this stage will proceed to the detailed tender evaluation.
The published award criteria place substantial emphasis on service quality and social value. However, the detailed weightings differ between Lots 1–3 and Lot 4.
Evaluation criterion | Lots 1–3 | Lot 4 |
|---|---|---|
Cost | 30% | 30% |
Social value | 20% | 20% |
Operating principles, organisational practice, performance monitoring and quality improvement | 15% | 20% |
Harm and risk minimisation, safeguarding and health and safety | 10% | 10% |
Partnerships, communities and innovation | 10% | 10% |
Engagement and co-production | 10% | 10% |
Housing management | 5% | Not separately weighted |
The weighting for social value is particularly notable. At 20%, it is a significant component of the overall evaluation and should be addressed as part of the organisation's proposed delivery approach rather than treated as an additional statement at the end of the bid.
How can supported housing providers prepare?
Demonstrate psychologically informed support
The service descriptions emphasise psychologically informed practice, particularly in accommodation supporting people with complex or multiple needs. Bidders should explain how staff understand and respond to individual experiences, manage distress and create supportive environments that encourage recovery and independence.
Useful evidence may include staff training, supervision, specialist partnerships and examples of adapting support plans to changing circumstances. Thornton & Lowe's social care tender writing specialists regularly support organisations competing for supported living and community care contracts.
Show how residents shape their support
Engagement and co-production account for 10% of the evaluation across all four lots. Providers should demonstrate how residents participate in decisions about their support, influence service improvements and contribute to the development of meaningful outcomes.
Relevant examples could include support planning meetings, resident forums, feedback mechanisms and changes introduced following consultation. The strongest evidence will show what was learned and how participation improved service delivery.
Explain safeguarding and risk management
Safeguarding and harm minimisation are central to services supporting individuals with complex needs or experiences of homelessness. Bidders should prepare clear evidence of safeguarding arrangements, risk assessments, incident management and procedures for responding to changing circumstances.
These processes should be explained in a way that demonstrates both safety and person-centred practice. An effective response will show how risks are managed without unnecessarily restricting residents' independence or involvement in decisions.
Demonstrate positive housing outcomes
Islington's framework aims to support tenancy sustainment, reduce homelessness and help people move towards greater independence. Providers should prepare measurable examples of how their services have contributed to similar outcomes, including successful move-on arrangements and improved stability.
For accommodation-based services, housing management arrangements will also be important. This may include tenancy support, property standards, coordination with landlords and managing transitions between different levels of supported accommodation.
Develop meaningful social value commitments
Social value represents one-fifth of the published evaluation. Commitments should therefore connect directly with the needs of local communities and the way services will operate, whether through employment opportunities, community partnerships, volunteering or improved access to support.
Providers should ensure their commitments are achievable, appropriately resourced and measurable. Our social value report offers practical tools for turning tender promises into deliverable outcomes, which can help organisations prepare a more credible response.
Prepare a clear and consistent technical submission
The range of evaluation criteria means responses must demonstrate consistency across service delivery, safeguarding, resident involvement, governance and performance monitoring. Where different team members prepare individual sections, a coordinated review can help ensure that approaches and commitments do not conflict.
Providers preparing for the second stage may benefit from reviewing Thornton & Lowe's bid writing guide, particularly its advice on structuring technical answers around the buyer's evaluation requirements.
How to apply for the Islington Supported Housing Framework
Applications are being managed through the London Tenders Portal on ProContract. The first stage is a request to participate, with successful applicants progressing to the detailed tender stage.
The deadline for requests to participate is 11:59am on Tuesday 1 December 2026. The estimated framework award decision date is 10 June 2027.
Interested organisations can access the procurement through:
Before submitting, providers should review the PSQ, service specifications and any supporting documents relevant to their preferred lots. Sufficient time should be allowed to confirm eligibility, coordinate evidence and obtain necessary approvals.
Preparing a competitive supported housing bid
Islington's £200 million framework offers a substantial opportunity for supported housing and community support providers. The evaluation criteria make clear that the Council is looking for organisations capable of demonstrating safe, effective services, meaningful resident involvement and wider community benefits.
Thornton & Lowe supports health and social care organisations with framework applications, technical writing, evidence development and independent bid reviews. We can help providers build submissions that demonstrate their capabilities and respond clearly to the Council's requirements.
