Legal Framework Employment TUPE and Pensions
Framework Description
The Legal Framework Employment TUPE and Pensions is a National Framework Partnership (NFP) framework for buying specialist employment, TUPE and pensions law advice. It is a fixed-term framework rather than a Dynamic Purchasing System, with applications closed, and it expires on 31 October 2026. Appointed firms can be instructed by public sector clients until that date.
Context & Use Case
Public bodies use it when services move between employers, when outsourcing or insourcing triggers TUPE, and when pension obligations need expert legal advice. It is also used for employment contracts, policies and disputes. With expiry close, buyers are most likely to use it for short-notice instructions while they plan around its replacement.
Scope of Services
Advice on TUPE regulations and their application Employee transfers and associated rights Public sector pension scheme legal support Drafting and review of employment contracts and policies Employment dispute resolution and litigation
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
Aimed at law firms with strong employment and pensions practices and public sector TUPE experience. The framework closes on 31 October 2026 and does not admit new firms, so non-appointed firms should focus on its replacement.
Buyer Benefits
Getting a TUPE transfer or a pension obligation wrong can mean tribunal claims and long-term costs for a public body. Buyers value a route to employment specialists they can instruct quickly when a transfer date is fixed, without running their own tender.
Next Steps
Look on the NFP framework page for any successor or re-tender notice, since this framework expires on 31 October 2026. Employment law firms planning to bid should assemble TUPE and pensions case studies, partner CVs and insurance details now, so they are ready when the tender appears.
How Athena Can Help
Law firms targeting the replacement for this framework can bring Athena in early. Our bid writing team drafts quality responses around your TUPE and pensions experience, checks them against the evaluation criteria and prices your rates to compete.
If you want help finding and timing the successor, our framework application service handles planning, compliance and submission, and our public sector tender support applies the same approach to employment law tenders from other public buyers.
